The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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UNC School of Medicine

Program Overview

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, national program that the Suicide Prevention Institute brought to the UNC campus in 2022. It offers two distinct courses. One course trains adults how to support teens, and a second course trains teens how to support their peers. These courses are open to people of all backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and communities in North Carolina. They teach people how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in young people. The courses also provide clear action steps people can take to ensure that people in need of help find the resources and supports they need.

 

 

Program Impact

Many people know how to help someone if they see a physical health symptom of a heart attack. They know to call 911. Yet fewer people know how to respond if they see the signs of a panic attack or the signs of alcohol use disorder. That is where MHFA provides knowledge and skills to change this narrative. This program helps reduce stigma, creates confidence to start conversations, and provides skills to support others during mental health crises.

  • 2,000+ people have been trained in Adult MHFA on the UNC campus since Fall 2022.
  • 1,500+ people trained in Youth MHFA across North Carolina since August 2023.
  • The on-campus MHFA program at UNC shows positive impacts such as increased awareness, reduced stigma, enhanced support networks, and improved crisis response.
  • 81% of participants in the on-campus MHFA program at UNC say they feel confident that they could ask someone directly if they are considering suicide.
  • 98% of participants in the on-campus MHFA program at UNC would recommend the training to others.
  • In 2024, a grant allowed this project team to expand MHFA in all North Carolina counties through partnerships with public, private and charter schools and other youth-serving organizations.
  • A focus of the expansion is both rural and tribal communities.