Mental Health First-Response Programs And Their Effectiveness

Mental health first-response programs are generally designed to intervene and assist people experiencing a mental health crisis. They include the Crisis Text Line, Mental Health First Aid, police-based mental health intervention programs, peer support programs, and Psychological First Aid. For consistent, long-term care, consider connecting with a licensed mental health professional in your local area or through an online therapy platform.

Crisis Text Line

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. 

The Crisis Text Line can connect you with a trained volunteer crisis counselor via text or chat. They are available 24/7. You can chat with a counselor about mental health concerns, including the following:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Emotional abuse*
• Gun violence
• Loneliness
• Suicide** 
• Self-harm

You do not have to be thinking about taking your own life to reach out to the Crisis Text Line. They are available to help you through any crisis you may be experiencing. After texting the number to get started, you will generally be invited to connect with a volunteer counselor. 

Crisis Text Line counselors have usually completed training courses on how to aid you in a crisis, but they are not medical professionals. You can expect to be paired with a counselor within around five minutes. After that, you can begin chatting back and forth about what is bothering you. 

The counselor can provide emotional support, encouragement, and resources. They can also help you make a plan to cope with difficult emotions or get further treatment for mental health concerns. They are typically trained in active listening, so they tend to be prepared to listen attentively and respond appropriately. The goal is generally to help you feel calm and safe. 

According to Crisis Text Line, a typical conversation lasts between 15 and 45 minutes. Still, you can end the conversation whenever you are ready or talk as long as you’d like. In some cases, your counselor may recommend that you seek further care from a medical professional. 

Effectiveness of Crisis Text Line

An evaluation of the effectiveness of Crisis Text Line for responding to suicidal ideations discovered that 90% of over 85,000 survey participants generally found their conversations with volunteer counselors via the text line to be helpful. Over half of the people who texted the Crisis Text Line reported no longer feeling suicidal after talking with a trained volunteer counselor. 

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) from the National Council of Mental Wellness is a skill-training course for first responders, social workers, school personnel, justice system employees, youth workers, and other participants. The program can help these individuals learn how to better respond to the needs of someone experiencing a mental health crisis. According to their website, MHFA’s goal is to make mental health training as common as CPR training. 

MHFA training can support anyone experiencing a crisis or showing signs of a mental health condition or substance use disorder. They have over 15,000 instructors in the United States and have trained over three million participants. You can complete MHFA training online through virtual classes, attend a workshop in person, or through blended in-person and virtual classes. 

Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

Mental Health First Aid regularly publishes the latest research on their program’s effectiveness based on clinical studies and survey data collection. So far, 45 peer-reviewed research articles and reviews have examined the efficacy and benefits of MHFA training. The results have shown that participants in MHFA programs usually:

• Know more about the signs and risk factors of mental health and substance use disorders
• Provide multiple types of resources to someone who is experiencing a crisis 
• Have more empathy and less bias toward people experiencing a mental health crisis or substance use disorder
• Are more confident in their ability to aid someone who is in mental distress 
• Can apply the skills learned in MHFA training to their personal mental wellness, including coping with the emotional stress of being a first responder 

Police-based mental health intervention programs

Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC) is a law-enforcement program that helps law enforcement officers respond appropriately to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, including those with mental health or substance use disorders. The goals of PMHC typically include connecting individuals with mental health resources, protecting the safety of everyone involved, and minimizing the strain on the police agency’s resources. 

Effectiveness of Police-Mental Health Collaboration (PMHC)

De-escalation tends to be at the forefront of the goals for police-based mental health interventions. Research on the benefits of PMHC programs for law enforcement officers has found that, in general:

• PMHC-trained officers are less likely to use force, especially lethal force, when interacting with someone experiencing a mental health condition or crisis. 
• Trained officers are better able to reduce the risk of injury for themselves and others involved in an incident. 
• Police-mental health collaborations enable officers to provide the appropriate resources to people in distress, including diverting individuals from the justice system to crisis services. 
• Officers could better identify the symptoms of mental health conditions and respond appropriately.
• Mental health training for police officers can reduce the number of arrests and help people get mental health treatment rather than being incarcerated. 
• Receiving mental health care resources from a PMHC-trained officer can reduce the likelihood of repeat calls to 911. 

Peer support in mental health first-response programs

Peer support interventions may be another option for mental health first response. Research shows that peer support programs can reduce the stigma around getting help with mental health. A study on the benefits of workplace peer support groups for first responders suggested that paying attention to social context could have an impact on the effectiveness of mental health interventions. 

In peer support programs, individuals generally use their own experiences with mental health or substance use disorders to connect with someone who is currently experiencing a crisis. They may also be trained in the best practices for responding to someone in a mental health crisis, such as providing resources and active listening, for example. 

Mental Health America (MHA) is an organization largely dedicated to progressing research and advocacy for mental health in the US. According to MHA, peer support can be an important element of recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) generally recommends peer support as a response strategy for mental health crises. 

Effectiveness of peer support programs

Peer support programs can have benefits for both mental and physical health. Studies have shown that peer support can improve overall health by reducing the effects of stress on the body.

Research shows that the benefits of peer support groups can include the following:

• Reducing mental health hospitalizations 
• Building community
• Decreasing the amount of time and money spent on hospital stays 
• Teaching social skills and building self-esteem 
• Relapse prevention

Psychological First Aid (PFA)

Psychological First Aid can promote resilience in moments of crisis by creating an environment of:

• Safety
• Calm 
• Comfort
• Connectedness 
• Self-empowerment 
• Hope

Psychological First Aid (PFA) can be seen as an evidence-based approach to mental health that treats mental health first aid the same as physical first aid. PFA techniques can help individuals through traumatic events, natural disasters, accidents, and personal crises. 

Creating a supportive environment and providing education on the effects of stress can be crucial to the Psychological First Aid approach. PFA often teaches coping skills and helps people use their existing strengths and resources to overcome stressful life events. Peer support and professional help may be encouraged in the wake of a life-changing event. 

Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid (PFA) 

Although updated evidence could be beneficial, an analysis of research from 1990 to 2010 generally confirmed the effectiveness of Psychological First Aid for disaster response. Researchers found that PFA interventions by non-medical professionals usually had positive effects on the mental health of survivors after a disaster.

One of the benefits of the PFA approach may be that it normalizes distress reactions and can reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. A 2022 study suggests that low-intensity Psychological First Aid training could empower frontline healthcare workers to provide better care during public crises. 

Online therapy for mental health support

A licensed therapist can help you learn coping skills to manage stress and intense emotions during life’s challenges, including traumatic events. Online therapy can support your mental health by connecting you with accredited mental health professionals from your phone, tablet, or computer. It may be easier to find a trauma therapist online due to fewer barriers, such as cost and travel. 

Effectiveness of online therapy

A growing body of research suggests that online therapy tends to produce the same client outcomes as its in-person counterpart. Both online and in-person therapy can be valid treatment options for those living with a variety of mental health conditions and concerns.