Presented by Melanie Ginsberg, M.Ed. Director of Education, MHANC

Goals  Provide an overview of mental health challenges  Discuss signs and how to recognize the need for care  How to assume a helpful role from a culturally competent perspective  Introduce strategies to assist or seek appropriate help  Provide resources

Outline of Presentation  My background  Main presentation  Questions and Answers

My Background School Psychologist Family Support Provider & Advocate Director of Education Community Educator Non Profit Agency Public School, Long Island

Empowerment Skills for Family Workers

What is a mental disorder? A mental disorder or mental illness is a diagnosable illness that: Affects a person’s thinking, emotional state, and behavior Disrupts the person’s ability to Work Carry out daily activities Engage in satisfying relationships *Mental Health First Aid

What are common mental health challenges? There are more than 200 classified terms for mental illness. Some more common are: Depression Bipolar Anxiety Disorder Depression Schizophrenia Symptoms include: changes in mood, personality, personal habits and/ or social withdrawal

Prevalence: US adults with a mental disorder in any one year Types of Mental Disorder% Adults Anxiety19.1 Major depressive disorder6.8 Substance use disorder8.0 Bipolar disorder2.8 Eating disorder2.1 Schizophrenia0.45 Any mental disorder19.6

Warning Signs and Symptoms

In adults Confused thinking Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability) Feelings of extreme highs and lows Excessive fears and worries Social withdrawal Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping Strong feelings of anger Delusions or hallucinations Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities Suicidal thoughts Denial of obvious proplems Numerous unexplained physical ailments Substance abuse

In older children and Pre- Adolescents Substance abuse Inability to cope with problems and daily activities Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits Excessive complaints of physical ailments Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism Intense fear of weight gain Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death Frequent outbursts of anger

In younger children Changes in school performance Poor grades despite strong efforts Excessive worry or anxiety Hyperactivity Persistent nightmares Persistent disobedience or aggression Frequent temper tantrums

Barriers to individuals seeking help Stigma Professional help not always easily available Individual with mental health problems don’t often seek help Many people are not well informed about mental health problems Do not know how to respond Financial cultural

Barriers to a culturally competent society Major TypesExamples, from ESFW Discomfort with Differences Fear that you or your own family or group will not get enough of what you want More stringent limitations on immigration to deter those coming to the US from getting jobs as easily in the past Blindness to Privilege Advantages given to some cultural groups or individuals because they belong to a certain group A woman in the US earns on average 72.2 cents to each dollar earned by a man. Prejudice Forming a set of beliefs about a group of people based on hearsay, misinformation, emotions, or using one’s own group as a point of reference Homophobia: slurs or taunts used against children or adults who don’t fit gender role stereotypes. Heterosexism: the assumption that everyone is heterosexual – or should be Discrimination When a person or institution uses power to act on their prejudice. A landlord refusing to rent to lesbians due to misinformation or personal bias. Oppression Systematic discrimination against certain groups. Commonly believed misinformation about differently-abled people diminishes their natural abilities to make decisions and set goals.

What can we do

Reset our mindset Change our perspective

Change lies in how we: Perceive Are we listening and being culturally open and intentional? Receive Are we inviting, open, non-judgmental? Engage Is there a power -over or power-with relationship? Transform Who is setting the goals?

The lesson of the Butterfly

Strategies to Assist Strategies to Assist from MHFA, National Council Assess for suicide or harm Listen nonjudgmentally Give reassurance and information Encourage appropriate professional help Encourage self help

Trauma Informed Care (best standard) You can help by encouraging another to: Tell others what they need Identify sources of support Take care of self Seek professional help if needed and offer to help connect.

Encourage Appropriate Professional Help Types of professionals: Doctors, primary care (good place to start) Psychiatrist and other mental health professionals Drug and alcohol specialists Certified peer specialists Types of professional help: Talk therapy Brief intervention therapy Withdrawal management Medication

Encourage Self Help Types of self help: Support groups Family, friends Faith network Peer Family support groups Discontinuation of alcohol or other drugs Exercise Books Meditation

What if a person does not want your help? Helpful strategies: Encourage the person to talk to someone they trust Never threaten with hospitalization Remain patient Remain friendly and open That person may want your help in the future.

References Mental Health First Aid, USA Eight Hour Teaching Notes, 2013 Mental Health Association of Maryland, Missouri Department of Mental Health, and National Council for Behavioral Health. Empowerment Skills for Family Workers, The Comprehensive Curriculum of the National Family Development Credential Program, A Worker Handbook, by Carol West. Family Development Press. 2015