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Mental Health First Aid Usa: The Implementation Of A Mental Health First Aid Training Program In A Rural Healthcare Setting, Andrew M. O'Neill, Valerie L. Leyva, Michael N. Humble, Melinda L. Lewis, John A. Garcia

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Nearly one-quarter of adults in the United States suffer from a documented mental disorder. Consequently, anyone could encounter a person with symptoms of mental illness at some point as they carry out their daily life activities. Although laypersons may accurately identify physical illnesses, they may lack necessary skills to identify symptoms of mental disorders, or know how to adequately respond to persons in a mental health crisis. Mental Health First Aid USA is an evidence-based certification program designed to teach lay citizens to recognize certain symptoms of common mental illnesses, offer and provide first aid assistance, and guide a person …