Just as there are first responders trained to quickly deal with physical injuries during emergencies, Jacque Gray, PhD, teaches people to administer mental health first aid.
      The concept, which originated in Australia, trains people to recognize mental health disorders and provide initial assistance for resources and professional help.
      “You’re not going to have someone trained in mental health first aid doing therapy or serving as a counselor,” Gray said. “It’s teaching them how to recognize the signs and then get the person in for help.”
    
      Having worked in the field of suicide prevention for 25 years, Gray, an assistant professor with the UND Center for Rural Health at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, sees mental health first aid as another step toward combating the negative stigma often attached to treating mental health problems.
       “What the Australians found with their research in rural areas is that the people who have gone through the training feel more confident and competent in being able to talk to someone they think may have a mental health issue,” Gray explained. “It reduces the stigma about mental health.
      “A lot of times, people don’t seek assistance because it has a stigma or they don’t ask for help because, especially with our culture in the Northern Plains, it’s like saying ‘I’m weak and I need help,’” she said.