Mental Health First Aid Australia and Lifeline are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of the 2013 week-long Black Dog Ride to Australia’s Red Centre. Black Dog Ride began in 2009 as one man’s ride to raise awareness of depression. This man is Steve Andrews, the National Coordinator of Black Dog Ride.

Here, Steve tells us a bit more about this fantastic event, and how it evolved into a national movement of thousands of Australian riders who have raised money for mental health services and fostered a culture of mental health awareness around the country.

Last year, in 2012, we launched the inaugural Mental Health First Aid Australia Awards to showcase the inspiring commitment and achievements of those involved in conducting MHFA courses across Australia. The Awards acknowledge personal commitment and dedication of MHFA Instructors, proactivity demonstrated by communities in addressing the need for better mental health literacy, and leadership within workplaces to address a need for mental health first aid strategies.

Along with the dedication of the MHFA Australia Team, the people involved in conducting MHFA courses are helping to fulfill MHFA Australia’s aim to increase early detection and treatment of mental health problems and reduce the stigma attached to mental illness. All of their efforts help to ensure that the skills to assist people with mental health problems spreads beyond mental health professionals.

So we are excited to announce that applications are now open for the MHFA Australia Awards 2013 – and we encourage those involved in conducting MHFA courses in Australia to apply. The 2013 Awards ceremony will be held during the 8th Annual MHFA Instructor Conference (14-15 October, CQ Functions – Melbourne’s CBD). More information and 2013 application form here.

Here’s what some of the 2012 award recipients had to say:

MHFA Instructor Champion 2012
Deb Reveley (WA), Master Youth and Standard MHFA Instructor, accredited since April 2005. Deb is also the founder and principal driver of Brain Ambulance Mental Health Education.

“I have conducted 154 courses mostly on my own. What has helped me the most is that I know this course is making a difference every single time it is presented. My passion is to help create the big picture where the taking down the Berlin Wall of mental health finally unites us all when everyone is trained and stigma is smashed. So for me, every course I run is my effort in removing another brick in this barrier.”

MHFA Workplace Award 2012
Essential Energy (NSW), a Government-owned corporation with responsibility for building, operating and maintaining Australia’s largest electricity network.

“We started conducting MHFA courses as a result of health assessments conducted across the organisation back in 2005, where stress was identified as a major risk factor for over 40% of employees who underwent the health assessments. Some of the really good outcomes from MHFA courses at Essential Energy have included: a drop in the average amount of sick leave taken and a significant reduction in the number and duration of workers compensation claims for mental health issues. Anecdotal evidence and feedback from employees who  have attended the course indicates that they have utilised the skills learnt both at home and at work. I have had many people tell me it’s the best course they have ever done and that it has completely changed the way they view mental illness.”
Colleen Ryan, Group Manager
Health and Employee Services, Essential Energy

MHFA Community Award 2012 – certificate of commendation
Deniliquin Mental Health Awareness Group (NSW), an Australian, non-profit, incorporated, NGO carrying on the enterprise of a health promotion charity for public benefit. The Group consists of consumers, their carers, health care providers and interested members of the public.

“It is so rewarding knowing that after every course you know you have changed at least someone’s thinking, perception, thought about mental health and mental illness and that this one person might go away and then start dealing with it differently in their family or seek help.”
Lourene Liebenberg
Occupational Therapist, Deniliquin Mental Health Awareness Group

Good luck to all 2013 applicants!

On January 16^th 2013, President Barack Obama announced his “Now Is the Time” plan, which put forward a new series of executive actions and legislative proposals to help curb gun violence. The plan includes several mental health proposals focused on recognising and treating mental health issues in children and youth.

As part of the plan, Obama recommends Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to help teachers, staff and other adults interacting with young people to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses and to assist them with finding appropriate professional treatment.

Obama’s plan includes four key recommendations:

1. Closing background check loopholes to keep guns out of dangerous hands;
2. Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and taking other common-sense steps to reduce gun violence;
3. Making schools safer; and
4. Increasing access to mental health services.

Whilst acknowledging that the majority of people with a mental illness are not violent, point 4 – increasing access to mental health services – discusses the need for early identification of mental health issues, to help individuals get appropriate treatment before violent situations arise. Specifically, it is recommended that teachers and other adults who interact with young people be trained in MHFA:

President Barack Obama signs a series of executive orders about the administration's new gun law proposals (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images, courtesy of Kaiser Health News).

“Provide ‘Mental Health First Aid’ training for teachers: Project AWARE includes $15 million for training for teachers and other adults who interact with youth to detect and respond to mental illness in children and young adults, including how to encourage adolescents and families experiencing these problems to seek treatment.”

Previously, in June 2012, the Mental Health First Aid Higher Education Act 2012, was submitted to US Congress. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health (part of the coordinating body of Mental Health First Aid USA), several US Representatives sent a letter to Vice President Biden on January 9, 2013, urging the US task force on gun violence to support this Act.

This Act is part of the plan to improve access to and quality of mental health services provided across the United States. If passed, MHFA training would be provided to teachers, students, and campus staff (e.g., counselling personnel, dormitory resident advisors, and coaches and other athletic department staff) in communities nationwide through a 5-year demonstration program to fund MHFA training at 10 institutions of higher education. The ultimate aim is to improve student mental health. In a press release on January 16 2013, Linda Rosenberg, President and CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health, stated that Representatives Ron Barber and Senator Mark Begich will shortly reintroduce this Mental Health First Aid legislation in Congress to implement the President’s recommendations.

The Canadian Government is also championing MHFA across a broad range or sectors. In fact, the coordinating body of MHFA Canada is the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), a national non-profit organisation created by the Canadian Government in 2007 to govern issues relating to mental health and mental illness.

The first mental health strategy for Canada, “Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada” was published in May 2012 to help address the gaps in Canada’s mental health system. This strategy called for an increase in the capacity of families, schools and workplaces to promote good mental health, reduce stigma and prevent mental illness and suicide wherever possible. MHFA training is mentioned under this priority, and is indirectly recommended for “front line service providers in health care, education and justice systems as well as for those providing emergency long-term care and social services”.

Over in England, in a Department of Health press release published in July 2012 the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Care Services Minister Paul Burstow urged employers in England to take action by undertaking three steps needed to improve their staff members’ mental health, one being to provide them with MHFA training.

Closer to home, MHFA has been mentioned in policy documents such as the Queensland Plan for Mental Health 2007-2017. Part of this plan is to “support activities which will build mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention capacity”, whereby one of the strategies is to “improve mental health literacy and access to Mental Health First Aid training for non-clinical workers in key government and non-government services”. In a four-year report on the progress of this initiative, published in October 2011, it was reported that Mental Health First Aid had so far been funded for 653 non-government and Department of Communities staff.

More recently, in October 2012, the Victorian Parliament in Australia acknowledged the importance of youth mental health and MHFA training for teachers in the Family and Community Development Committees “Inquiry into workforce participation by people with mental illness”. This inquiry recommends that MHFA be incorporated as part of teacher training, and states:

“Staff within schools requires Mental Health First Aid training to identify students at risk of disengaging from education because of mental illness.”

Earlier in July 2010, during the election campaign, the Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, committed the Australian Government to redouble its efforts to prevent the tragedy of suicide, making clear that mental health is an important part of a second term agenda and announcing a $274 million Taking Action to Tackle Suicide (TATS) package of which $6.1M was allocated for Mental Health First Aid training for front line community workers (i.e., financial and legal sectors, relationship counsellors, and healthcare workers). People working in these sectors interact with those who may be in financial, legal or relationship crisis where the risk of suicide is increased.

As part of the implementation of the Government’s 2010 TATS package, in 2012 the Australian Government Funding invited 6 selected mental health training organisations to apply to provide MHFA training for front line community workers. MHFA Australia was one of 3 successful applicants. Read more about what we plan to do with this funding here.

It is really encouraging to see MHFA being supported by Governments, mentioned in policy documents in Australia and overseas and associated lobbying efforts by partner organisations. It means we are one step closer to MHFA Australia’s ultimate goal – that MHFA training become mandatory for certain professions, just as is physical first aid.

Exhausted? Tired? Stressed at work? Weary? Run down? Irritable? Not sleeping well? Feeling helpless? Hopeless? Apathetic?  Annoyed with your colleagues? Feeling like you can’t cope? Out-of-steam? Worn down? Worn out? Frazzled? Unable to handle the pressures at work?

You might well be on your way to suffering from ‘burnout’, especially at this time of year where money problems, social anxiety, family pressures and work issues can all be exacerbated by the holiday season.

Here at MHFA we’ve put together some tips for managing and preventing burnout over the festive season:

Eat well – Good nutritional health is paramount in staving off a burnout. Indulge in a varied diet of protein, fruit and vegies, good fats and complex carbohydrates.

Reduce – your caffeine and alcohol intake. Sure it’s the silly season but combining alcohol, irritability and bad sleep patterns will only see you head towards burnout faster.

Exercise – Move, run, ask that girl/ guy you like out to dance! You’ll feel better – we guarantee it.

Relax – Practice stress-relieving exercises such as breathing techniques, meditation. Book a massage, turn off your phone, log off from your computer and take some time for yourself

Sleep – A good nights sleep is essential for overall better health. If you continue to suffer from disruptive sleep, book an appointment with your GP and discuss with them.

Talk – When you’re feeling stressed and exhausted it’s easy to shut people out and internalise your problems. One of the symptoms of burnout is treating those around you as objects. Talking to someone about how you’re feeling is a step forward in overcoming burnout.  Speak to your boss or supervisor about how you’re feeling and if you don’t feel comfortable talking to your friends, family and work colleagues, go and see your GP.

Say no –sometimes it’s ok to just say ‘no’. It might not seem like the time of year to be turning people down but just the simple practice of managing your time and workload can do wonders. Remember by saying no you’re not letting anyone down, especially yourself.

So we hope these tips help you over the holiday season! Wishing you a happy and safe festive season and New Years from all of us here at MHFA Australia!

Fay Jackson from Vision in Mind (NSW) was one of three MHFA Instructor Champion Award winners in 2012 (more information on the MHFA Australia Awards and our 2012 winners here). Fay was awarded for her personal commitment and dedication to the MHFA program over many years.

Fay chatting with the MHFA Conference 2012 MC, Derek Guille, and Tony Jorm at the Awards ceremony

We debriefed with Fay after she received her award in September 2012. Her words are inspiring, particularly for anyone considering attending a MHFA course or becoming a MHFA Instructor …

MHFA: How did you feel when you found out you won the award? How do you feel about the recognition?

Fay: I felt really honoured and realty appreciative to Betty and Tony who had the vision to create this life saving/changing education.

What do you feel has helped you in conducting so many MHFA courses?
Having the lived experience of mental illness and feeling the pain of loosing my beautiful brother and seeing my own daughters’ mental illness gives me passion and drive to take this fantastic course to the people of our nation. My lived experience breaks down the stigma of mental illness and people trust what I am saying because I am honest about what it is like living with mental illness.

Betty, Fay and Tony at the Awards ceremony

What sort of support have you received to conduct MHFA courses?
I have received support from co-founders Betty Kitchener and Tony Jorm, as well as Youth Programs Manager Claire Kelly and the whole team at MHFA Australia. I have also had support from the Rotary Health Research Fund to get the word out across Australia about the importance of mental health training. And of course, my beautiful husband who supports me in my work and encourages me when I am exhausted and away from home so much.

How do you spread the word about your MHFA courses?
I really rely on word of mouth. I could really do with some professional marketing help and funds to run out some marketing.

What attracted you to the role of MHFA Instructor?
It was REAL, down to earth and accessible by the community and myself. It was a way of taking my mental illness and using it to improve other peoples’ lives and to teach people how to support people and how to save lives.

What’s your favourite thing about being a MHFA Instructor?
Seeing peoples’ attitudes and lives change for the better. Seeing carers and consumers take confidence in how to manage their lives. Seeing communities and workplaces transformed from dysfunctional dangerous and fearful people to being a team with compassion and bravery at the heart of their being. Producing empowered people who learn to utilise their strengths and turn their weaknesses into assets.

How do you know when you’re making a difference by conducting MHFA courses?
You can tell just by the expressions on peoples’ faces but they also tell you it has been life changing. They come to me and hold me crying from the relief of letting go of the guilt, fear and anger they have been living with. I get emails later, sometimes even years later, with people telling me how the training saved/changed/healed/encouraged their lives and the lives of others around them. This has been true for families, communities, associations, services, NGOs and workplaces. And of course the feedback sheets are always so positive and I get a great deal of return work.

What would you say to anyone thinking about becoming a MHFA Instructor?
I would say that unless you do it as part of your employment do not expect to make a lot of money out of it. You need to be very passionate about mental health and you must be on high alert as to who is vulnerable in the class and be flexible with how you run it.

What would you say to anyone thinking about doing a MHFA course?
It may well be the best, most empowering experience you have ever had.

What are you hopes for the future of MHFA Australia?
MHFA for Aged People.

Any thoughts you’d like to add?
MHFA has given me a life worth living and a purpose to go on.

This year, we launched the Inaugural MHFA Australia Awards to showcase the achievements of individuals and organisation who have worked to improve mental health literacy through their support of MHFA courses. The awards acknowledge the high standard and commitment demonstrated by those involved in delivering the 12 hour and 14 hour MHFA courses across Australia. More information here

In the inaugural year of the MHFA Australia Awards, we received a large number of applications, all of which were of a very high standard. It was a very difficult decision for the judging panel.

Over the next few months, we will be profiling some of the award winners across each of the four award categories (MHFA Instructor Champion, MHFA Community, MHFA Workplace and MHFA Education Sector – more info here).

Senior Sergeant Sue Horton from Victoria Police was one of three MHFA Instructor Champion Award winners in 2012. Sue was awarded for her outstanding commitment and dedication to increasing awareness of MHFA within Victoria Police.

MHFA chatted with Sue about her award and her experience as a MHFA Instructor:

Sue receiving her award from MHFA co-founders, Betty Kitchener and Prof. Tony Jorm

MHFA: How did you feel when you found out you won the award? How do you feel about the recognition?

Sue: I was absolutely surprised and thrilled when told I’d won the award as I wasn’t aware that I’d been secretly nominated by my peers. I am very humbled firstly in having my colleagues recognise my work and contributions in the mental health area and going to the lengths of submitting the nomination, and then secondly on being selected by MHFA to receive the award, it’s a real honour.

What attracted you to the role of MHFA Instructor?
Having been a police officer for 25 years I have seen first hand the effects of mental health problems on many colleagues and clients; often in crisis situations, I’ve also seen how ignorance of these problems and how to deal with them has potentially negatively impacted on interventions with these people in the past. When I learnt about this course I could see how it bridged this ignorance gap and provided people with the skills to intervene appropriately and I wanted to be a part of it, with a degree in psychology and my operational experience I also thought that I had some skills to offer in delivering the course.

Tell us about your experience of being a MHFA Instructor …
I love being a MHFA instructor for my organisation Victoria Police, as the course provides such great insight to participants into mental health issues and then provides a clear but simple MHFA Action Plan.

Sue Horton conducting a MHFA course

How do you know when you’re making a difference by conducting MHFA courses?
When I get feedback from participants in the weeks and months following a course about how they used the skills gained from attending in helping family members, friends, colleagues and clients.

What would you say to anyone thinking about becoming a MHFA Instructor?
Get on board, it’s a fantastic and enjoyable course to deliver as it’s very well researched and designed. More instructors are required as we need to ensure that as many people as possible are exposed to this course and its learning’s, as it does make a positive difference in proving first aid assistance to those with mental health problems.
Find out more about how to ‘Be an Instructor’ here

What would you say to anyone thinking about doing a 12- or 14-hour MHFA course?
Do it and do it now.
To find a MHFA course in your area, check out the training calendar here

What are you hopes for the future of MHFA Australia?
I’d like to see this course be as common place as regular first aid courses and for the acronym of ALGEE to be as well recognised and understood as DRSABCD [the physical first aid action plan].

Left - right: Martin McGrath & son Mark McGrath

MHFA Instructors, Martin and Mark McGrath, make up a unique father and son team who have been co-facilitating both Standard and Youth MHFA courses since 2006 in the picturesque Clarence Valley in Northern NSW.

While their professional experience is certainly an asset to the MHFA courses they facilitate, it’s their personal story that is the real strength to their training and is what makes their co-facilitated courses a unique experience for participants.

In 2002 Mark was diagnosed with clinical depression which, at the time, had a catastrophic impact on himself, his family and his employment situation. At the time Mark felt completely alone and unsupported as no one seemed to understand the suffering and enduring misery he was going through.

Both father and son (Martin and Mark) were already accredited MHFA Instructors when they decided to attend an Instructor up-skilling workshop together in 2009.

“This was a turning point for both dad and I”, Mark said. “Whilst we were working through the workshop material, I was really getting my head around my illness for the first time, and dad was learning how to better support me with my illness”.

Since then they have delivered over 55 MHFA courses as a father and son team, with Mark recently achieving Principal Master Instructor status meaning that he has conducted over 30 courses since becoming an Instructor and over 10 in the past year.

Mark comments, “Dad and I have a great relationship, and it shows during the training, we use lots of humour to get a very important message across”.

Then, around three years ago during a particularly severe episode of illness, Mark was re-assessed and was finally diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

“The problem with being bipolar is that you never go to your doctor when you’re feeling freakin’ awesome, so this makes it difficult to get a correct diagnosis”, Mark commented.

This time however Martin (with his knowledge gained as a MHFA Instructor) and his family were in a much better position to support Mark through the episode by applying the MHFA Action Plan (pictured left).

Martin commented, “It has been an interesting journey for me. To sit and have a calm and sane conversation with your son on suicide ideation can be very off-putting! Thanks to the relationship we have and the knowledge gained through both attending the MHFA training and our co-facilitation of courses, it keeps it all in perspective.”  Not many fathers have the opportunity to work as closely with their sons – and to get inside their head – as Martin  does. “It’s something I really value” he says.  “I also value what we can achieve with MHFA training in the community.”

Martin and Mark provide a rare personal insight into mental illness and the impact it has on family, friends and the wider community. They also provide intimate knowledge and understanding of the role of the MHFAider (those who have completed a 12 or 14 hour MHFA course).

“We like to take the training one step further. It’s one thing to read through a group of symptoms from a fact sheet or a manual, but for many people at the end of the day they are just a bunch of words that carry little meaning,” Mark commented.

“The feedback we receive from participants is overwhelmingly positive, so many people thank us for sharing our story and leave the course feeling truly empowered and better equipped to assist someone experiencing a mental health problem”.

Mark and Martin let participants know what the words mean and how they are experienced, both as the person living with the illness and also as the carer of someone with a mental illness.  Ultimately, the message Martin and Mark strongly promote is that the MHFA Action Plan works, they are testament to this!

Here, Chris Allsop shares some tips on how to make a positive difference in your workplace. Chris is the Marketing Coordinator for SuperFriend, a national mental health promotion foundation that helps not for profit superannuation funds to promote and support improved mental health and wellbeing for their members, through the workplace. SuperFriend aims to reduce the incidence of suicide and the impacts of mental illness on individuals, employers, workplaces, family and friends. 

We’ve all felt it, that urge bubbling under the surface on a particularly stressful day at work. You do your best to ignore it, gulping down coffee and pounding away at your keyboard. But then you get that email or phone call from your boss or colleague. Suddenly you find yourself grinding your teeth, pulling out chunks of hair and feeling like a highly primed, ready to pop Jack-in-the-box.

While many people think of mental health as something that exists “outside of work”, in reality our work and workplace play a key role in our mental wellbeing. It’s not surprising really, when you consider how many hours a week we spend there. It can affect us in good and bad ways. For example, small amounts of stress can motivate us and provide that little bit of extra “oomph” to get through the day. Extended periods of stress, however, can be really damaging to our physical and emotional health.

Our workplace, whether it’s in an office, a truck, on a farm, out at sea or someplace else, is where we experience much of our social contact. We form communities, friendships, identity and routines based around what work we do and where we do it. It’s therefore vital that both employers and employees understand the importance of a mentally healthy and supportive work environment.

If this is the problem …
In Australia, the sad reality is that one in five adults will experience mental illness in any given year. The scale of this reality means that many (if not most) workplaces will be impacted by mental illness each year, and this impact can have serious consequences. Beyond the obvious impact on an individual’s life, there’s also a significant cost to business. There’s a loss of productivity through absenteeism (sick leave, general poor health and physical conditions that are often present with mental illness), along with a reduction in work performance and changes in attitudes, behaviours and relationships. There’s even a term called “presenteeism”, which refers to when an employee is present at work but isn’t engaged with what they’re doing. If you were to oversimplify workplace mental health issues then you might say that an unhappy workforce is an unproductive workforce, and this will ultimately cost a business money. On the other side of the coin, a mentally healthy workforce is more likely to have reduced absenteeism, lower staff turnover, higher productivity, deeper engagement and increased staff loyalty. In other words, a happy workforce is a profitable workforce. Clearly there’s a need for employers to recognise that mental health issues are genuinely important.

… then what’s the solution?
There’s no one way to “stop” workplace mental health issues and indeed the responsibility doesn’t lie entirely with the employer. However, there are a number of things that employers can do to help prevent mental illness and support those who may be experiencing it.

Promoting good mental health practices at work
According to the World Health Organisation, one of the simplest actions an employer can take to create a healthier environment is to promote good mental health practices and provide tools for recognition and early identification of mental health problems. How do you do this? Here are a few simple suggestions for employers:

Be proactive
Remember the old saying “Prevention is better than cure”? Rather than waiting for problems to crop up, take a look at the culture, policies and expectations within your workplace and see if they promote good mental health. If they don’t, do some research into what you can change and do to benefit the working environment. (Reading this article is a good start!)

Make information and resources available
Make sure your workplace has a range of information on mental health topics available to employees. Simply having some basic fact sheets, podcasts, websites and referral details readily accessible might sound trivial but could make a world of difference for someone who is struggling. SuperFriend has a range of credible resources available, as do Mental Health First Aid, SANE Australia, beyondblue and headspace.

Make that information accessible
Technology has changed our world dramatically and some people prefer to use their smartphone or internet to gather resources. Rather than having all your mental health information in print form, consider how you can share it with employees electronically so it’s available whenever and wherever they may need it. That said, a helpline poster in the lunchroom can be very effective too.

Take a holistic view of mental health
There’s more to mental health than just the diagnosed illnesses. Things like nutrition, fitness, sleep and positive relationships play a key role in mental health and wellbeing. Consider how you can promote healthy eating, exercise and community in your workplace.

Be an employer who understands
A manager or employer’s style of working with employees plays an important role in fostering a mentally healthy work environment. Let employees know that you recognise and understand the challenges they face, and that you, or your organisation, are there to support them. Make sure all levels of management are trained in mental health literacy. There are lots of good training options available, including Mental Health First Aid.

What next?
If you’ve read this all the way through then you’re clearly interested in making a positive difference in your workplace. That’s great! By taking a few simple steps towards making a supportive work environment you’re far less likely to feel like a wound up Jack-in-the-box.

For more information visit: www.superfriend.com.au

References:

“Mental Health and work: Impact, issues and good practices”, Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence, Word Health Organisation, Geneva, 2000.

2010 Workers with Mental Illness: A Practical Guide for Managers, Australian Human Rights Commission, 2010.

“Ten ways to create a mentally healthy workplace”, The Globe and Mail, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-tools/ten-ways-to-create-a-mentally-healthy-workplace/article4249099/

This article was first published on news.com.au and has been reproduced here with permission.

Chris Paine is a journalist from news.com.au. Here he talks about his two black dogs: Jethro and Oscar. Jethro’s an actual dog. Oscar is “the black dog”.

Meet Jethro. Picture courtesy of Chris Paine.

I’ll start with Jethro. He’s a cocker spaniel. He’s six. His jet-black hair smells funky, he rocks a dome-shaped head, and every so often he eats poo. Like actual poo. More importantly, he’s amazing. A happy, sweet, cuddle-bomb. He really is a man’s best friend, my dad’s, but I’d like to think I’m a close second. And he helps me beat the blues – but more on that later.

Oscar is the other black dog. He’s like an imaginary best friend, except that to me he’s neither imaginary or a friend. I’ve known him for 12 years and, put simply, he’s an arsehole. He follows me around. Everywhere. He makes me cry. He makes me doubt everything about everything. And he’s turned me against the one person I need most: myself.

Let’s put it this way – he’s no Jethro. If you pitted the two of them in a death match in the Cage of Awesome, J-ro would deliver victory with a fly-kick to Oscar’s pants. I don’t care that Oscar’s been de-sexed, or that he doesn’t wear pants or that he’s only a metaphorical dog – that’s how it’s going to go down.

Life with Jethro is simple, fun and carefree. Jethro is just Jethro. But Oscar isn’t like that. Oscar isn’t Oscar, Oscar is OCD. Not the glamorous As-Good As-It-Gets kind where you skip over cracks in a flight of whimsy and flirt with Helen Hunt. No, Oscar is the shit, boring, in-your-head-27-hours-out-of-24 kind of OCD. I’m not saying one is better or worse than the other – but Howard Hughes wasn’t crazy and eccentric. He just had a disease no-one, least of all himself, understood: OCD.

I didn’t ask Oscar to come when I moved to Sydney last year, he just invited himself. Like I said: arsehole. Jethro’s still in Brisbane but he’s taught me many things. The most important? To get outside of my head and see life, in the moment, for what it is. And I have to say, it’s not half bad.

When I look at his oddly-formed face and his impossible smile, I’m taken away from Oscar and into that moment where I can just chase my own tail. Because it’s my tail and I’ll chase it if I damn well please. And at times like that, I’m reminded of the simple things we can all do to make our lives a little bit better.

In the last 10 years MHFA has spread rapidly within Australia and overseas. The Program’s developers,  Betty Kitchener OAM and Professor Tony Jorm, have been generous in sharing MHFA overseas. To date MHFA has been adopted by 16 countries. This is equivalent to over 12% of all countries worldwide. One thing is for sure, our Algee (the MHFA mascot) is a well seasoned traveller!

We share news from two of our International MHFA Program Partners, MHFA USA and MHFA Canada, who have both recently reached the remarkable milestone of 50,000 MHFAiders.

MHFA USA

MHFA was introduced to the USA in 2008. Seeing a need for improved mental healthcare, the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare partnered with the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to bring the program from Australia.

Since its introduction to the USA in 2008, 50,000 people in 47 states across the USA have completed the MHFA course. Course participants in the USA are from various backgrounds, including emergency medical services professionals and law enforcement officials to human resource experts, business leaders and those who work with youth and are members of faith-based communities.

Meena Dayak from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare commented, “Overall, the program has proven to be an eye opener for participants. People have become more aware that mental illness is just like any other illness such as cancer, diabetes or a heart condition. It can be common and it is treatable. Most of all, it’s gratifying for people to learn that help is available and to find out where it is.”

Over 1,850 MHFA Instructors have been trained to conduct MHFA courses in the USA. One of these Instructors, Mike Lange, is a retired lawyer who took the course and became an instructor shortly after a shooting in Arizona whereby six people were killed. One of the victims was a judge whom Mike knew well. Mike commented, “If more people knew how to help people with mental illnesses, fewer such tragedies might occur”. But, he says, he mostly teaches the class in hopes of spreading “more information, less stigma, more vigilance and more caring.”

Celebratory cake at the Annual USA MHFA Instructor Summit to mark the 50,000 milestone

MHFA USA have recently held a pilot Youth MHFA Instructor Course, with 10 different sites across the country testing the course in their communities to see if there are any further tweaks needed before going public. They are also working on an initiative to try and get the course into more rural communities, and are piloting a public safety focused course in Philadelphia and Maryland. The Mayor of Philadelphia hopes for 10% of the city to be trained in MHFA over the next few years.

Want to find out more about MHFA USA?

MHFA Canada

MHFA was introduced to Canada in 2006 and officially became part of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) in 2010. Their mission is to work with stakeholders to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Their goal is to promote mental health and help people who live with mental health problems lead meaningful and productive lives.

Since 2006, 50,000 people in Canada have completed the MHFA course.  Denise Waligora, Manager of Program Education of MHFA Canada commented, “We are so proud to have provided MHFA to 50,000 Canadians. Our numbers will continue to grow as we all become more aware of the incredible value MHFA can bring to an organisation, community, or even a family.”

A probation officer from Ontario who recently completed the training said, “I had an amazing experience in this training which is going to benefit me in my field.” An education coordinator who recently completed the training commented, “Everyone should take this course, especially if you work in education.”

The growth of the program has really taken off since joining the MHCC in 2010. The number of accredited MHFA instructors in Canada is currently over 600 and growing. The course is open to everyone including teachers, health service providers, emergency workers, police, frontline workers who deal with the public, volunteers, human resources professionals, employers, and community groups among many others.

Want to find out more about MHFA Canada?

You can also find out more about International MHFA Programs here.