Good and Bad mental health programs

1. Avoid Mental Health First Aid - it is seen as very damaging by many advocates. here are about 40 people talking about why:  https://www.madinamerica.com/2...ental-illness-maker/
2. Here is the scientific data to explain why Mental Health First Aid is a problem.  (And many other "evidence-based" practices.) https://www.madinamerica.com/2...ence-based-practice/
3. Also, stigma is not reduced by protesting stigma. In fact, saying "how bad stigma is" actually increases stigma. In general, any program areas related to stigma reduction are a setup for failure. About 95% of stigma reduction programs are ineffective. Here is what works and what doesn't work: http://www.scattergoodfoundati...a-guide#.WGQAsfArJdg  
4.  Most "awareness" or "literacy" programs are on a continuum between disease label awareness on one end and resilience/wellness/trauma processing info on the other end. Minimizing disease label awareness and maximizing self support info is more scientifically supported. Health care messaging in general is much trickier than people give it credit. You can't just say what you want to say, you have to say what works to get the outcomes you want to see.
   
   

Mental Health Programs / Info to Emulate:

1. Core Competencies for peer workers: found on SAMHSA's site. https://www.samhsa.gov/brss-ta...tencies-peer-workers
2. Look at the initiatives pages on madinamerica.com, 
3. Look at the programs at mentalhealthexcellence.org, 
4. Look at these programs listed here: http://ericmaisel.com/interview-series/
5. Check out the mental health programs at Ashoka.org
6. Also read this guide to health care messaging so you know how to talk about trauma and child mental health in ways that are effective to build support and action. Most biological based messages increase trauma or ways that reinforce hopelessness.  http://www.frameworksinstitute...thsummaryexcerpt.pdf
7. What else do we need to include?