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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville places strong emphasis on supporting the mental health of its students and the campus community, including through Counseling Services, the University’s interdisciplinary iCARE initiative, Active Minds at SIUE, and by the training of faculty and staff who interact with students daily and educate the region’s future workforce.

To that end, three faculty members from the Schools of Pharmacy and Business completed Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor certification on Friday, June 7. The MHFA program notes it is the help offered to a person developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate treatment and support are received or until the crisis is resolved.

The certification enables SIUE’s Adult MHFA instructor faculty to certify other faculty, staff, students and the general public in MHFA. Certified instructors include:

• Kelly Gable, PharmD: professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and coordinator of Global Partnerships
• Misty Gonzalez, PharmD, BCPP: clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and psychiatric clinical pharmacist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital
• Katie Robberson: instructor in the School of Business Department of Management and Marketing

According to Gable and Gonzalez, the SIUE School of Pharmacy will be incorporating MHFA into its core curriculum, because it sees the value for its students. The School strives to empower its students to make a difference in the lives of their peers and community members.

“I believe strongly that pharmacists have an important role in caring for individuals with behavioral health issues, and so educating pharmacy students in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) just makes sense,” said School of Pharmacy Dean Mark Luer, PharmD. “Drs. Gable and Gonzalez are experienced psychiatric pharmacists.

“Now, as certified MHFA instructors, they are positioned to ensure that our graduates are ready to identify if someone is experiencing either a mental health or substance use issue, and when appropriate to refer them for help. It is just another way the SIUE School of Pharmacy is investing in its faculty and programming to better meet the changing healthcare needs of our region.”

Robberson emphasizes that the School of Business shares that common goal of helping the SIUE community to be aware and be well. The Schools of Business and Pharmacy plan to partner to help share the important message of MHFA campus and community wide.

“The School of Business recently hosted the iCare workshop, which focuses on suicide prevention,” noted School of Business Dean Tim Schoenecker. “It was enthusiastically received by our faculty and staff. Shortly thereafter, Katie approached me about supporting her request to pursue the MHFA instructor certification. She is confident in her ability to integrate elements of this training into some of her management courses which will be a benefit to our students. The mental health of employees can have a serious impact on organizations and the workplace. Katie has a passion for this topic and we are pleased to support her in this endeavor.”

The MHFA certified instructors agree Counseling Services is the best resource for SIUE students needing mental health support. But, all are glad to be campus advocates for the MHFA mission of helping teach the public how to recognize symptoms of mental health problems, offer and provide initial help, and guide a person toward appropriate treatments and other supportive help.

Courtney R. Boddie, PhD, director of Counseling Services, indicated his excitement about this training. “This initiative is aligned with my vision for the direction of University mental health, which includes Counseling Services functioning as the captain of the campus’ wellness team. A critical mass of those empowered with MHFA resources and trained to integrate health literacy and appropriate referral practices into the curriculum will enhance the functioning of our ecosystem.”

Photo: Certified Adult Mental Health First Aid instructors include (L-R) SIUE’s Katie Robberson, Kelly Gable, PharmD, and Misty Gonzalez, PharmD.