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Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the power of peer health promotion.
2. Compare and contrast the role of a peer mental health promoter with that of a licensed
professional therapist, including personal and professional boundaries.
3. Identify and explain confidentiality guidelines.
4. Identify strategies for change in high-risk behaviors.
5. Describe the mental health first-aid action plan.
6. Describe a variety of mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety disorders,
psychosis, substance use and eating disorders.
7. Describe the warning signs of a person in distress who may be experiencing a mental health
challenge/crisis.
8. Demonstrate bystander intervention skills of empathy, non-judgmental listening, responding,
problem solving and referral related to mental health challenges and crises.
9. Demonstrate bystander intervention skills for sexual assault prevention.
10. Demonstrate skills in program planning/implementation, leadership, collaborative teamwork,
oral/written communication and public speaking.
11. Educate peers about mental health challenges in a positive, interactive, fun and
nonjudgmental manner.
12. Identify 7 habits of effective peer health promotion groups.
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I. Peer Health Promotion
A. The Power of Peer Education
1. Five roles of peer promoters to create change
2. Confidentiality guidelines
B. Strategies for Change in High-Risk Behaviors
1. Stages of change
2. Evidence-based approaches: Social norms approach, motivational interviewing, harm
reduction
C. Listening Skills
1. Non-verbal communication
2. Reflection, paraphrasing and summarizing
D. Responding and Referral Skills
1. The response checklist
2. Making a referral
3. Campus, community and national mental health resources
E. Intervention Skills
1. Bystander intervention
2. "I" statements
F. Developing Inclusive Peer Promotion Efforts
1. Cultural sensitivity
2. Accessability
G. Programming and Presentation Skills
1. Goals/objectives, educational value, possible activities
2. Event tasks, budget, marketing, evaluation
3. Presentation skills
H. Taking Care of Yourself
1. Stress and time management techniques
2. Establishing boundaries
I. Group Development and Success
1. Cycle of group formation
2. Seven habits of highly effective peer education groups
a. Strong diverse membership
b. Well- trained peers
c. Promote positive images
d. Active advisement
e. Branding
f. Administrative support
g. Student ownership
II. Mental Health
A. Mental Health and its Impact on Communities:
1. Definition of mental health
2. Statistics
3. Impact on communities
4. Mental health recovery
5. Trauma informed care
B. The Mental Health First Aid Action Plan
1. Assess for risk of suicide or harm
2. Listen nonjudgmentally
3. Give reassurance and information
4. Encourage appropriate professional help
5. Encourage self-help and other support strategies
C. Depression and Mood disorders
1. What is depression and other mood disorders?
2. Causes, intervention and resources for depression and mood disorders
D. Suicide
1. Strong predictors; risk factors; myths and facts
2. Suicide clues and warning Signs: Verbal, behavioral, and situational
3. How to intervene: Ask the suicide question; persuade the person to get help; refer the
person to a professional
4. Campus, community and national suicide resources
E. Anxiety Disorders
1. What is an anxiety disorder?
2. Types, causes, intervention and resources for anxiety disorders
F. Psychosis
1. What is psychosis?
2. Types, causes, intervention and resources for psychosis
G. Substance Use Disorders
1. What is a substance use disorder
2. Causes, intervention and resources for substance use disorders
H. Sexual Assault
1. Statistics and impact
2. Sexual assault prevention, intervention and resources
I. Eating Disorders
1. What are eating disorders?
2. Types, causes, intervention and resources for eating disorders
III. Peer to Peer Mental Health Promotion Project
A. Needs assessment
B. Development
C. Implementation
D. Evaluation
E. Promotion
F. Presentation
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1. Read from textbook (5-20 pages per week)
2. Read instructor-selected articles (15-35 pages per week)
3. Complete chapter review questions and reflection activities at the end of each chapter
4. Practice, via role-play, effective bystander intervention and referral skills
5. Practice, via role-play, effective communication skills for non-judgmental listening
6. Demonstrate 5-8 peer health education skills (i.e. leadership, public speaking, listening,
responding, referral, intervention, program planning/implementation, evaluation and
marketing)
7. Write a 1-2 page paper on prevention/intervention
8. Design and conduct a needs assessment survey to identify current mental health issues
9. Working in small groups, select a mental health promotion project to develop and implement
(based on outcome from needs assessment)
10. Write a 1-2 page group proposal that outlines the mental health promotion project's statement
of need, goal/objectives, budget, marketing plan, and evaluation technique
11. Implement and evaluate the group mental health promotion projects
12. Write a 1-2 page paper reflecting on the mental health promotion project experience and
outcome
13. Give a 10-30 minute group presentation on the project goals and outcomes
14. Complete 2-4 quizzes and final exam
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Mental Health First Aid USA. First Edition (Revised), Published by National Council for Behavioral Health. 2015
BACCHUS Certified Peer Educator Student Workbook. Published by the BACCHUS Network. 2016
Instructor prepared materials