WHAT IS A MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE BOX?
On the back of being asked the following question:
"Deb, how can I help a partner, friend or colleague at work with possible mental health issues? "
I developed a toolbox that gives the gift of understanding and the courage to help.
There is so much stigma, stereotyping and misunderstanding when it comes to mental health. To help bridge the gap between trained professionals and your average Aussie, I have created five informative manuals that address:
- Signals- what is happening?
- Helping yourself
- Helping others
- Crisis
- Next steps- returning to work after having experienced mental health issues
In addition to your Mental Health First Aid Trainer (if you have one) and Employee Assistance Program (if you have one) the Mental Health Response Box is a tool for everyone who works in your workplace. It typically sits in the staff room or crib hut to encourage inquisitive reading and better inform workers how to help themselves and those around them. It's a real conversation starter in many different ways.
The essence of the toolkit is the go to when a trained mental health first aider isn't around or the person having the mental health experience is not sure where to turn.
The Mental Health Response Box can be the difference between someone suffering in silence and taking their own life to getting the care and help that they need. Can we really put a price on that?
