In the December 2017/January 2018 edition of Educational Leadership, Sandy Merz highlighted the mental health training gap educators face. Sandy’s key argument is that “To support students, today’s teachers need better training in mental health issues”. I couldn’t agree more with this statement! With the high percentages of students struggling with a mental health issues, educators will sooner or later be faced with a student in distress and the ripple effect it can have in the classroom.
Why should educators be trained on mental health?
Educators play a critical role in the lives of students, whether it be elementary school, high school, or college. They assist students to develop critical thinking skills and facilitate social emotional development, among other developmental aspects. The impact educators have on their students is not surprising as students often spend more time at school then they do at home. Due to the constant interaction between educators and students, teachers are often the first line of defense when students have mental health issues.
Educators are in unique a position to notice emotional and behavioral changes in their students. These changes, whether related to a mental health crisis or not, can impact a student’s ability to learn, academic performance, and overall motivation. Conversely, in cases where there is a mental health issue present, not only is the student negatively impacted, but so are their classmates as well as the educator. Such negative impact may include conflict with classmates and classroom disruptions. Additionally, an educator’s inability to properly manage a classroom, due to such situations, can impact their perceived teaching effectiveness and performance evaluations (classroom observations, student test outcomes, etc.). How an educator addresses a student’s mental health concerns affects the learning of every student in the classroom. As such, educators should be properly trained in addressing mental health issues because it impacts them directly and indirectly on multiple levels. Actions speak louder than words. This is especially telling when it comes to mental health issues.
Equipping educators to handle mental health concerns
While we can’t expect educators to become mental health experts, institutions must do something to better equip teachers to handle mental health issues in the classroom as well as with colleagues. Mental Health First Aid (MFHA) helps fill a substantial portion of the training gap educator’s face. MHFA is an evidence-based training program designed to instill participants with the necessary skills to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. MHFA’s action plan, summarized by the acronym ALGEE, is simple and easy to remember.
- Assess for risk of suicide or harm
- Listen non-judgmentally
- Give reassurance and information
- Encourage appropriate professional help
- Encourage self-help and other support strategies
The primary focus of MHFA is not what the specific mental health issue is or naming the problem, but how to recognize when someone may be experiencing an issue and how provide assistance. MHFA is often compared to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) since both programs focus on training individuals to become first aiders, not medical experts. Since the goal is to assess warning signs of mental health and substance abuse issues, and not become mental health experts, participants concern themselves with providing resources and encouraging professional-help and self-help. Remember, individuals trained in CPR don’t know if someone has had a heart attack, or some other medical issue, but they do know something is wrong. According to research studies, MHFA participants:
- Understand the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions
- Can identify multiple professional and self-help resources for individuals experiencing a mental health illness or addiction
- Have increased confidence in assisting someone in distress
- Demonstrate increased mental health wellness themselves
Trainings are typically facilitated at no cost by local non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. New York City’s Department of Mental Health and Hygiene has taken the lead in providing MHFA training to all New Yorkers. Alternatively, institutions can have staff members and/or faculty become certified Mental Health First Aid Instructors. Instructors are trained on how to facilitate the certification course. At Baruch College we have done just that! We have a handful of administrators who facilitate trainings on campus for faculty, staff, and students. You don’t need a psychology or counseling background to become a facilitator. All you need is willingness to help and educate others. While MHFA does not address all the legal and ethical issues that can potentially arise, such as protecting student privacy, it addresses a large portion of the training gap educators’ face.
Next steps
In addition to implementing a practical hands-on training program, such as MHFA, institutions should establish policies that outline when a mental health concern must be reported and necessary steps employees must take. It’s extremely important to note that managing mental health in schools is not the sole responsibility of educators. In addition to having all staff and educators trained in MHFA, institutions should establish reporting processes. One example of an effective reporting process is a campus intervention team. This committee would help address concerns educators, staff, and students may have about a student in possible distress and would assist in providing support to the student. Once a report has been submitted, the campus intervention team would be responsible for looking into the situation and developing a proper course of action.
