According to the National Education Association, more than 60% of collegiate students meet the criteria for at least one mental problem. To combat this issue, Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington) is providing Mental Health First Aid training this summer for all faculty and staff.
The Office of the Chief Health Officer and Healthy IU, the school’s employee wellness program, are offering this course on June 20 and July 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants can choose to complete the training in one full day over two half days.
“Nearly all 48 of our full-time staff members have participated are now certified,” said Josh Downing, the associate director, Programs at IU Bloomington Recreational Sports. “With mental health being critical to individuals’ well-being and the well-being of the community, I would advocate we need as many people as possible to have this training.”
Mental Health First Aid Details
The Mental Health First Aid training is a free course that allows attendees to gain insight into mental illnesses, offers crucial support to those experiencing a crisis and serves as a catalyst for the campus community.
“Specifically, for us in Recreational Sports, this is part of our strategy of supporting the overall health and well-being of the Bloomington campus,” said Downing. “With Recreational Sports continuing to evolve and be positioned as an entry point for campus health and well-being, this preparation only adds skills and knowledge to the toolkit of staff.”
Downing said from his time being on a college campus working directly with students, the more people in the department who can be equipped with this training, the better they can help students and get them to needed resources.
The Importance of Training
Downing made sure to add while this program provides a multitude of benefits, it doesn’t train staff and faculty to diagnose issues students may be facing.
“It’s preparing us for how to approach a situation until professional help can arrive or be provided,” said Downing. “This training equips participants with how to have conversations, how they can point students to the right resources and how to help them get help.”
One added benefit Mental Health First Aid has to the campus rec industry is the sheer number of students who are employed within these departments. They face the same issues impacting other people their age, and rec leaders can improve the morale of their team by providing adequate support learned through the training.
“If you think about how many students are employed in campus recreation at respective institutions, this is a critical tool for supervisors,” said Downing. “When students meet with their supervisors, they likely are sharing other things going on in their life. Some of these may be negatively impacting them and their mental health. Before this training, supervisors may feel uncomfortable, not know what to say or maybe say something they shouldn’t have.”
With all the complexities of our social landscape and pressures of college life, being a student on campus means navigating a minefield of mental hurdles. Downing’s main piece of advice for other industry leaders is if they encourage team members to take this training, then campus rec can truly forge a path through the mental health crisis for young people.
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