National Evaluation of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA): Self-Paced Learning Module

National Evaluation of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA): Self-Paced Learning Module This module is intended for use by Project AWARE grantees as part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration s (SAMHSA s) National Youth Mental Health First Aid/Mental Health First Aid Evaluation. All Project AWARE grantees are implementing Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) or Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). Learning Objectives In this self-paced learning module, you will learn: The background and goals of the national YMHFA/MHFA evaluation, and Your role in the success of the evaluation YMHFA/MHFA Background First, we will give you some background. What is YMHFA/MHFA? YMHFA and MHFA are mental health literacy and intervention training curricula developed in Australia with U.S. scale-up led by the National Council for Behavioral Health. These programs help those trained (called first aiders ) identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. Both versions of the program introduce participants to mental health risk factors and symptoms, emphasize the importance of early intervention, and teach participants how to assess and respond to individuals experiencing distress. SAMHSA s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America s communities. YMHFA and MHFA training is an important part of achieving this mission in your community. Like medical First Aid, YMHFA and MHFA is a way for everyone to understand what to do in a crisis. With one in five adults and youth experiencing a mental illness each year, mental illness affects all of us. The time and effort that you will be investing in this program will help build a stronger community and Nation. YMHFA/MHFA Background What is the national evaluation of YMHFA/MHFA? In order to understand how to best provide services and funding to communities, SAMHSA has launched a study of factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. SAMHSA is conducting a national YMHFA/MHFA evaluation to understand those factors. As part of this evaluation, Georgetown University s Mental Health First Aid Evaluation Tools (GMET) are being used to measure changes in attitudes, knowledge, and behavior over time (before training, after training, three months after training, and six months after training). 1

Who is involved in the evaluation and what are their roles? Grantees will train a diverse group of first aiders as part of their YMHFA/MHFA grants. First aiders include school administrators, school staff (instructional and support), other school staff (e.g., bus drivers, cafeteria workers), emergency service personnel, faith-based leaders, parents, and students. The most common groups to be trained are school staff, and staff at community-based and youth-serving organizations, followed by emergency services personnel (for example, law enforcement and emergency responders). A smaller number of grantees will train other community members such as policymakers, district staff, and community leaders. YMHFA/MHFA Evaluation Goals There are two primary evaluation goals. The first goal is to understand factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. In order to understand how to best provide services and funding to communities, SAMHSA has launched a study of factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. This is not an evaluation of the YMHFA/MHFA training, nor is it an evaluation of the performance of YMHFA/MHFA instructors or first aiders. YMHFA/MHFA Evaluation Goals The second goal is to identify key outputs and outcomes of YMHFA/MHFA. This study will provide information about the influence of these factors on important outputs and outcomes of the program, including: Behavioral intentions to provide mental health supports and referrals to others; Personal and perceived stigma surrounding mental health problems; Knowledge and skills related to mental health literacy; Number of opportunities to identify mental health needs; and Number of mental health referrals made. You Are a Key Player There are four audiences for this learning module: project directors or YMHFA/MHFA coordinators, YMHFA/MHFA instructors, first aiders, and project evaluators. The next section describes the responsibilities associated with each role. Project Director/State Coordinator: Your Role What is your role as the project director or state coordinator? First, understand and communicate the big picture to instructors. 2

As a project director or state YMHFA/MHFA coordinator at a SAMHSA AWARE grantee site, it is important for you to understand and convey to others the big picture behind this evaluation. SAMHSA s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America s communities. YMHFA and MHFA training is an important part of achieving this mission in your community. In order to understand how to best provide services and funding to communities, SAMHSA has launched a study of factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. Therefore, SAMHSA is conducting a national YMHFA/MHFA evaluation to understand those factors. By participating in this evaluation, your site will have a direct voice that guides efforts to expand programs like these throughout the U.S. You are in a critical position to provide leadership to instructors and other key stakeholders, and to motivate them to ensure that data collection is incorporated into the normal routine of all YMHFA/MHFA trainings. Keep in mind that your site will receive survey data reports quarterly during the defined data collection period (until early 2018) which can inform your ongoing programming efforts. It will be important to communicate this fact with others in your site. Project Director/State Coordinator: Your Role Second, understand and communicate logistics to instructors. In addition to the big picture, it is crucial to grasp what needs to happen on the ground in your site and to communicate this to instructors. Here is what needs to happen: First aiders register for YMHFA/MHFA training ahead of time and provide their email addresses during registration. At least one week prior to training day, compiled email addresses for that YMHFA/MHFA training session are sent by the instructor to HelpDesk.YMHFA- MHFA@Samhsa.hhs.gov. Project Director/State Coordinator: Your Role First aiders will receive an email from SAMHSA with a survey link at each of the four time points (pre-training, post-training, 3-months follow-up, and 6-months follow-up). Before starting each survey, first aiders will be asked to provide consent. An option to access the survey in Puerto Rican Spanish is available. The pre-training survey link will be emailed ahead of time; instructors will need to ensure that first aiders complete it prior to training. It takes about 20 minutes to complete, which is a little bit longer than the subsequent surveys because some background questions are included. YMHFA/MHFA Instructors need to encourage first aiders to complete the posttraining survey within 30 days after training. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. 3

Instructors also need to encourage first aiders to complete the 3-month and 6-month follow-up surveys within 30 days after survey links are emailed. Each follow-up survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. The GMET Survey The online survey can be viewed on a mobile device as well as on a laptop or desktop computer. Each of the surveys (pre-training survey, post-training survey, and 3- and 6-month follow-up) is divided into 6-7 sections. The following sections appear in the pre-training, post-training, as well as the three- and six-month follow-up surveys: Your Personal Beliefs (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, I believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: If I listen to any person without expressing my judgment, it will help that person talk to me about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about People Important to You (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, people who are important to me believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ). Your Confidence in Performing Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Currently, I am confident that I can recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems in a person. ). Your Agreement with Various Aspects of Mental Health (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Exposure to traumatic events is a risk factor in almost every type of mental illness. ) The pre-training and follow-up surveys both have a section entitled Your Personal Experiences (an example item is: How many people have you referred to services and supports? ) Some sections are unique to a survey. For example, the pre-training survey has a section entitled Your Background Information (an example item is: what gender are you? ). In addition, the post-training survey has a section called Your MHFA Training (an example item is: I felt safe sharing my opinions with the group. ) 4

There are a variety of response options across the survey items, including multiple choice, yes/no, and free response. YMHFA/MHFA Instructor: Your Role What is your role as an instructor? First, understand and communicate the big picture to first aiders. As a YMHFA/MHFA instructor at a SAMHSA AWARE grantee site, it is important for you to both understand and convey to first aiders the big picture behind this evaluation. Your community or school district realized the importance of training adults who interact with youth and young adults in understanding what a mental health crisis looks like, and how to best respond. They applied for and received funding through SAMHSA, an Operating Division within the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. This training is offered with that funding. SAMHSA s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America s communities. YMHFA and MHFA training is an important part of achieving this mission in your community. In order to understand how to best provide services and funding to communities, SAMHSA has launched a study of factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. Therefore, SAMHSA is conducting a national YMHFA/MHFA evaluation to understand those factors. By participating in this evaluation, your school district or community will have a direct voice that guides efforts to expand programs like these throughout the U.S. You are in a key position to motivate first aiders to participate in data collection activities. YMHFA/MHFA Instructor: Your Role Second, understand and facilitate logistics. In addition to the big picture, it is crucial to grasp what needs to happen on the ground in your site and to communicate this to first aiders. Here is what needs to happen: First aiders register for YMHFA/MHFA training ahead of time and provide their email addresses during registration. At least one week prior to training day, compiled email addresses for that YMHFA/MHFA training session are sent to HelpDesk.YMHFA- MHFA@Samhsa.hhs.gov. A downloadable template for providing this information is available on this website. We will provide more specific instructions about how to complete the template in a moment. YMHFA/MHFA Instructor: Your Role First aiders will receive an email from SAMHSA that has a survey link at each of the four time points (pre-training, post-training, 3-months follow-up, and 6-months follow- 5

up). Before starting each survey, first aiders will be asked to provide consent. An option to access the survey in Puerto Rican Spanish is available. The pre-training survey link will be emailed ahead of time; please ensure that first aiders complete it prior to training day. It takes about 20 minutes to complete, which is a little bit longer than the subsequent surveys because some background questions are included. Please encourage First Aiders to complete the survey before the class starts. Encourage first aiders to complete the post-training survey within 30 days after training. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. Finally, encourage first aiders to complete the 3-month and 6-month follow-up surveys within 30 days after survey links are emailed. Each follow-up survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. These aren t tests and responses are kept private! A small amount of your time in encouraging first aiders to complete these surveys will help guide future programs like this. The GMET Survey The online survey can be viewed on a mobile device as well as on a laptop or desktop computer. Each of the surveys (pre-training survey, post-training survey, and 3- and 6-month follow-up) is divided into 6 or 7 sections. The following sections appear in the pre-training, post-training, as well as the three- and six-month follow-up surveys: Your Personal Beliefs (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, I believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: If I listen to any person without expressing my judgment, it will help that person talk to me about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about People Important to You (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, people who are important to me believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ). Your Confidence in Performing Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Currently, I am confident that I can recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems in a person. ). 6

Your Agreement with Various Aspects of Mental Health (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Exposure to traumatic events is a risk factor in almost every type of mental illness. ) The pre-training and follow-up surveys both have a section entitled Your Personal Experiences (an example item is: How many people have you referred to services and supports? ) Some sections are unique to a survey. For example, the pre-training survey has a section entitled Your Background Information (an example item is: what gender are you? ). In addition, the post-training survey has a section called Your MHFA Training (an example item is: I felt safe sharing my opinions with the group. ) There are a variety of response options across the survey items, including multiple choice, yes/no, and free response. Template for Information about First Aiders You will complete a template to provide information about first aiders email addresses. You can download this template in the same TTA portal where this learning module is located. Here are brief instructions for completing the template: In the first column, please enter the email address for each First Aider who will be participating in an upcoming class. In the next column, enter your district or organization, either using a drop-down list or by copying and pasting from a linked worksheet. The district or organization is only entered into the second row. The district or organization that you select will be assumed to apply to each additional row. In the event that there is an additional district or organization, please download and complete another template. Next, please enter the Training Start Date and Time. Please also enter the Training End Date and Time. Finally, please enter the last and first names of the YMHFA/MHFA instructors. Please be sure to place the last and first names in separate columns. Only enter Instructor 2 if applicable. Please note that in the downloadable template there is no limit to the number of email addresses you can enter for your district or organization. The template should be completed at least once before each YMHFA/MHFA training. For a given YMHFA/MHFA training, you are encouraged to batch email addresses as much as possible but it is also okay to complete additional templates as more first aiders register for the class. 7

Please send all completed templates to HelpDesk.YMHFA- MHFA@samhsa.hhs.gov. YMHFA/MHFA First Aider: Your Role What is your role as a first aider? First, understand the big picture. As a first aider in a SAMHSA AWARE grantee site, it is important for you to understand the big picture behind this evaluation. Your community or school district realized the importance of training adults (such as yourself) who interact with youth and young adults in understanding what a mental health crisis looks like, and how to best respond. They applied for and received funding through SAMHSA, an Operating Division within the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. This training is offered with that funding. SAMHSA s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America s communities. YMHFA and MHFA training is an important part of achieving this mission in your community. In order to understand how to best provide services and funding to communities, SAMHSA has launched a study of factors that make a YMHFA/MHFA program successful. Therefore, SAMHSA is conducting a national YMHFA/MHFA evaluation to understand those factors. By participating in this evaluation, you will have a direct voice that guides efforts to expand programs like these across the U.S. YMHFA/MHFA First Aider: Your Role Second, complete data collection activities on time. In addition to the big picture, it is crucial to grasp what is expected of you. You will receive an email from SAMHSA that has a survey link at each of the four time points (pre-training, post-training, 3-months follow-up, and 6-months follow-up). Before starting each survey, you will be asked to provide consent. An option for a Puerto Rican Spanish translation is available. The pre-training survey link will be emailed ahead of time; please complete it prior to training day. It takes about 20 minutes to complete, which is a little bit longer than the subsequent surveys because some background questions are included. Please complete the post-training survey within 30 days after training. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. Please complete the 3-month and 6-month follow-up surveys within 30 days after survey links are emailed. Each follow-up survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. These aren t tests and your responses are kept private! A small amount of your time responding to these surveys will help guide future programs like this. 8

The GMET Survey The online survey can be viewed on a mobile device as well as on a laptop or desktop computer. Each of the surveys (pre-training survey, post-training survey, and 3- and 6-month follow-up) is divided into 6 or 7 sections. The following sections appear in the pre-training, post-training, as well as the three- and six-month follow-up surveys: Your Personal Beliefs (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, I believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: If I listen to any person without expressing my judgment, it will help that person talk to me about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about People Important to You (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, people who are important to me believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ). Your Confidence in Performing Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Currently, I am confident that I can recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems in a person. ). Your Agreement with Various Aspects of Mental Health (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Exposure to traumatic events is a risk factor in almost every type of mental illness. ) The pre-training and follow-up surveys both have a section entitled Your Personal Experiences (an example item is: How many people have you referred to services and supports? ) Some sections are unique to a survey. For example, the pre-training survey has a section entitled Your Background Information (an example item is: what gender are you? ). In addition, the post-training survey has a section called Your MHFA Training (an example item is: I felt safe sharing my opinions with the group. ) There are a variety of response options across the survey items, including multiple choice, yes/no, and free response. 9

Project Evaluator: Your Role What is your role as a project evaluator? First, understand the big picture. As a project evaluator at a SAMHSA AWARE grantee site, it is useful for you to understand the big picture behind this evaluation. SAMHSA is charged with increasing access to mental and behavioral health care in the U.S., and your project is a vital part of this mission. SAMHSA needs to understand the conditions and context in which YMHFA/MHFA programs are successful. By participating in this evaluation, your site will have a direct voice that guides SAMHSA s efforts in scaling-up YMHFA/MHFA throughout the U.S. Second, receive data. You will receive your site s GMET data quarterly during the defined data collection period (until early 2018), which can inform your on-going program implementation and evaluation efforts. The GMET Survey The online survey can be viewed on a mobile device as well as on a laptop or desktop computer. The pre-training survey takes about 20 minutes to complete; subsequent surveys take about 10-15 minutes each. Each of the surveys (pre-training survey, post-training survey, and 3- and 6-month follow-up) is divided into 6 or 7 sections. The following sections appear in the pre-training, post-training, as well as the three- and six-month follow-up surveys: Your Personal Beliefs (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, I believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: If I listen to any person without expressing my judgment, it will help that person talk to me about his or her mental health problem or problems. ) Your Beliefs about People Important to You (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: In general, people who are important to me believe that I should listen without expressing my judgment to a person about his or her mental health problem or problems. ). Your Confidence in Performing Mental Health Actions (for example, level of agreement associated with this statement: Currently, I am confident that I can recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems in a person. ). 10