Now more than ever, we are likely to know someone close to us who is experiencing mental health struggles – and it can be hard to know how to offer support. Enter Olivia Mays from the Health Promotion & Wellness Service unit in the University Health Center. Olivia coordinates Mental Health First Aid trainings: free opportunities for UMD students to learn more and develop skills for recognizing and responding to folks experiencing mental health concerns. We’ve interviewed Olivia before about a number of services in UHC, and we’re excited to learn more about this one!

TTC: Olivia, thanks for joining us yet again for another Terps Take Care interview. We love having you! As usual, we want to begin by asking how the Adult Mental Health First Aid program – and your office in general! – supports our Terps’ overall wellness?

• OM: The Health Promotion & Wellness Services unit’s main focus is on wellness. Our unit promotes the holistic wellbeing of students through comprehensive and collaborative programming, peer education, sharing of accurate and relevant health information and resources, and providing empathic wellness consultations and coaching for the campus community. We recognize that how we think about wellness is affected by our culture and our life experiences, which is why we strive to create and support inclusive, accessible, and diverse health and wellness opportunities.

  One specific resource that feels particularly important to highlight is the Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training program. MHFA is a skills-based training that is designed to teach you how to recognize and respond to signs of a mental health challenge. Participants will learn common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, how to interact with a person in crisis, and how to connect a person with help. The training is broken down into two parts: several self-paced modules, and a 7-hour live instructor-led session. To learn more, visit the Mental Health First Aid website.

TTC: This is so much information! I want to acknowledge that it seems like going through this training could be crucially helpful in certain moments. It also seems like a really flexible training, one that allows as many people as possible to access it. I love that.  Now that you’ve shared all that – what one thing would you want students to know about MHFA?

• OM: Training sessions are currently free for undergraduate students thanks to a partnership with the Student Government Association (SGA). All graduate student, staff, and faculty sessions cost $28.95 per person unless otherwise noted. To register for the training, please visit UMD’s MHFA registration page.

TTC: That’s amazing – special thanks to SGA! It’s good to know that truly anyone can access this training if they want. So what else should folks know about participating in training?

• OM: Training sessions are offered in person and online every fall and spring, with a few being offered in the winter and summer semesters. Students, staff, and faculty can find the full schedule and register in advance by visiting UMD’s MHFA registration page.
• New training dates are added on a rolling basis so if none of the dates work for you, there will be more to come. If you or your organization want to schedule a training for a group of at least 10 people, please email Olivia Mays at omays@umd.edu.

TTC: Olivia, thank you so much for your time today. Are there any last-minute words of wisdom you’d like to share with our Terp community?

• OM: Talking about mental health can be challenging. The stigma surrounding mental health and the discrimination people with mental health conditions experience on a regular basis can create a hostile environment for anyone looking to speak openly about their mental health. We are starting to see a shift, and many individuals and organizations are working together to fight the stigma that prevents people from seeking help. Mental Health First Aiders are a part of that fight. Studies show that MHFA helps to reduce stigma; improves knowledge of signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health challenges; and increases confidence of participants so they are more likely to help someone in need. Becoming a Mental Health First Aider means you are joining a community of over 2.5 million people who have been trained in this program, and it helps to build a community of care at the University of Maryland and beyond.

 

 

 

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