Mental Health Awareness: Practical Skills for First Responders

Mental Health Awareness: Practical Skills for First Responders offers a Canadian perspective on the challenges that first responders face in identifying and intervening with those in crisis. Using relevant examples and trends, this text helps readers navigate criminal justice and mental health systems in Canada, and prepares them for frontline work.

Mental health is examined through various lenses throughout the text. Both historical and emerging developments are taken into consideration, including how mental health is portrayed in pop-culture. This text also features practical scenarios and commentary that can serve current or aspiring professionals across multiple fields (e.g. policing, EMS, fire services, corrections, residential work, and social work).

With this solid foundation, students and professionals will be prepared to handle a variety of often stressful situations in a way that keeps everyone involved safe.

Contents:

Part I: Introducing Mental Health In Front-Line Work
Chapter 1: Justice and Injustice
Chapter 2: Context is Everything
Chapter 3: Deinstitutionalization

Part II: Common Mental Health Issues
Chapter 4: Depression and Anxiety
Chapter 5: Concurrent Disorders and Addictions
Chapter 6: Personality Disorders and Schizophrenia
Chapter 7: Suicide Intervention

Part III: Mental Health Interventions for Those in Crisis
Chapter 8: Skilled Labour
Chapter 9: It Takes a Community
Chapter 10: Working with Victims

Part IV: Emerging Trends
Chapter 11: Controversial Topics in the Helping Fields
Chapter 12: Resiliency and Organizational Responses

Glossary