HJAR Sep/Oct 2019

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS  I  SEP / OCT 2019 53 Bruce Trimble, MA, APR Director of Business Development The BridgeWay Hospital Become Trained as a Mental Health Supporter One does not need a degree in psychology or sociology to become a mental health sup- porter. There are several community based programs that provide practical training for people of all ages. • Family to Family by National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 12-session educational program for family, significant others, and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program. This means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. Family-to-Family is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, dis- cussions, and interactive exercises. • Mental Health First Aid by the National Coun- cil for Behavioral Health. Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. mentalhealthfirstaid.org • More Than Sad by the American Founda- tion for Suicide Prevention. More Than Sad has taught over a million students and educators how to be smart about mental health, and it benefits high school students, parents, and teachers. For high school students, this program teaches teens to recognize the signs of depression in themselves and others, challenges the stigma surrounding depres- sion, and demystifies the treatment process. For parents, this program teaches par- ents how to recognize signs of depres- sion and other mental health prob- lems, initiate a conversation about mental health with their child, and get help. For teachers, this program teaches educa- tors to recognize signs of mental health distress in students and refer them for help. The program complies with the re- quirements for teacher education sui- cide prevention training in many states. afsp.org/our-work/education/more-than-sad/ • Talk Saves Lives by the American Founda- tion for Suicide Prevention. A communi- ty-based presentation that covers the general scope of suicide, the research on prevention, and what people can do to fight suicide. Attendees will learn the risk and warning signs of suicide, and how together, we can help prevent it. afsp.org/our-work/education/talk-saves- lives-introduction-suicide-prevention/ • SafeTALK by LivingWorks. SafeTALK is a training program that teaches partici- pants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide, and to connect them with community re- sources trained in suicide intervention. SafeTALK stresses safety while challeng- ing taboos that inhibit open talk about suicide. The ‘safe’ of safeTALK stands for ‘suicide alertness for everyone’. The ‘TALK’ letters stand for the practice actions that one does to help those with thoughts of suicide: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe. livingworks.net/safetalk • ASIST by LivingWorks. ASIST teaches trainees to provide a skilled intervention and develop a collaborative safety plan to keep someone safe and alive. livingworks.net/asist • ASIST by LivingWorks. ASIST teaches trainees to provide a skilled interven- tion and develop a collaborative safety plan to keep someone safe and alive. livingworks.net/asist Become a Mental Health Advocate Volunteer your time, treasures, or talents to a mental health organization. The follow- ing have local chapters and are in need of support. • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Established in 1987, theAmerican Founda- tion for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a vol- untary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide communi- ty empowered by research, education, and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. Agift to theAmerican Foun- dation for Suicide Prevention helps fund our mission to save lives and give hope to those affected by suicide. All donations to AFSP are tax deductible. If you have ques- tions about your gift or about how to give, please contact our development office at development@afsp.org or by calling toll free, 1-888-333-AFSP. • Walk to Fight Suicide. Little RockWalk, Sun- day, November 3, 2019 at Clinton Presiden- tial Center. Register at afsp.org/LittleRock . • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI builds communities where compassion, ex- perience, and support help people build better lives. All donations to NAMI are tax