PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) has added Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification as a mandatory component for all students in their final semester of the associate degree in nursing and practical nursing programs.

 

The requirement, based on the curriculum provided by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, aims to equip graduating nursing students with the skills to identify and respond to individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.

 

Data from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention indicates an average of 130 daily deaths by suicide in the U.S. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly one in five adults in the United States live with a mental illness. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 841,000 drug overdose deaths between 1999 and 2019.

 

The MHFA course provides training in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use issues, offering initial support, and connecting individuals with appropriate professional resources. The curriculum covers risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction, strategies for crisis and non-crisis intervention, and available resources for help. Specific topics include depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, and substance use disorders.

 

Lori Moon, Dean of Nursing at BCC, stated the college's belief in the essential nature of this certification for healthcare professionals. She also expressed hope for broader adoption of MHFA training across BCC faculty, staff, and programs. 

 

"We believe this certification is essential for all healthcare professionals, and our students stand out by graduating with this credential. We hope that more BCC faculty, staff and programs will adopt this initiative and make completing this training a priority as we face increasing mental health challenges in our society," said BCC Dean of Nursing Lori Moon, who noted that two BCC full-time nursing faculty members, Katie Polchlopek and Kim VanDeusen, have completed MHFA instructor training through a BCC workforce initiative and are now certified as First Aiders in this curriculum. 

 

Instructor certification requires a three-day training program that includes pre-work, a written exam, and a teaching presentation. Certified instructors are required to teach the MHFA course at least three times per year to maintain their certification.