UNIVERSAL MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR FRONTLINE PROFESSIONALS: METHODOLOGY, STRUCTURE, IMPLEMENTATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/psy-2024-4-10Keywords:
mental health, mental health disorder, stigma, mental health status validation, universal mental health training.Abstract
Abstract. This article describes the results of developing the Universal Mental Health Training (UTMH) program, which aims to train first-line professionals to interact with people with mental health difficulties. To increase the availability and coverage of the population in the field of mental health services, the principle of delegating the function of primary psychosocial support of persons with mental disorders to trained specialists of the first line applies throughout the world. Universal training on mental health issues, which was developed and piloted in Ukraine, is an educational program for first-line specialists on high-quality and scientifically based responses when interacting with people who need help with mental health issues. Such specialists are employees of the police, state emergency services, social services, employment centers, educational institutions, and others who communicate with many people every day. The training is called universal because its 5-step model offers a standard structure for interacting with people with mental health difficulties. In addition, this algorithm is suitable for various first-line specialists, since the general structure of interaction does not change, but only the list of mental disorders that are most often faced by specialists of one or another field changes in their work. The program teaches five relatively simple but important steps: recognizing a mental health condition, starting a conversation about mental health and reducing stigma, providing support and hope for an improved quality of life, making a referral for professional help, and ensuring that referral is successful. It is assumed that the criteria for the effectiveness of the developed program can be indicators related to knowledge about the state of mental health, awareness about mental health, and increased readiness to interact with people who have mental health difficulties. Further studies on the implementation of UTPZ in Ukraine and evaluating the effectiveness of the developed intervention will be carried out according to the above indicators.
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