MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TRAINING (PFA)
Mental health is a state of successful mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships, and the ability to cope and adapt. Good mental health includes emotional balance, the capacity to live fully, and the flexibility to deal with life’s stresses, challenges, and trauma. Mental health is just as important as physical health to a person’s wellbeing.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), mental, neurological, and substance use disorders are common in all regions of the world, affecting every community and age group across all income countries. While 14% of the global burden of disease is attributed to these disorders, most of the people affected – 75% in many low-income countries – do not have access to the treatment they need.
In keeping with the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) goals, WISEOP provides Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA) and Psychological First Aid Training (PFA) to low-resource communities and non-profit organizations.
What is Mental Health First Aid? Mental health first aid is an action plan for helping a person that is developing a mental health problem or experiencing an immediate mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate treatment and support are received or until the crisis resolves. The goals of the Mental Health First Aid are to: a) Preserve life when a person may be a danger to self or others; B) Provide help to prevent the problem from becoming more serious; and C) Provide comfort and support.
What is Psychological First Aid? Psychological first aid is an acute intervention of choice when responding to the psychosocial needs of children, adults and families affected by disaster and community violence. It is designed to reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events and to foster immediate and long term adaptive functioning and coping.
(Psychological First Aid)
In 2011 and 2013, Dr, Yanique Edmond-Pierre trained early childhood educators in Leogane and Port-au-Prince on Psychological First Aid.
In 2016, Dr. Yanique Edmond-Pierre and Dr. Dominique Charlot-Swilley trained community organizers in Port-au-Prince on Mental Health First Aid – Premye Swen Sante Mental in Kreyol.