Mental Health Toolkit

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It is an integral part of health and there is no health without mental health. Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to contribute to his or her community. The term well-being includes the presence of positive emotions and moods (e.g., contentment, happiness), the absence of negative emotions (e.g., depression, anxiety), satisfaction with life, fulfillment, and positive functioning.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes it is important to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on many factors. When the demands placed on a person exceed their resources and coping abilities, their mental health could be impacted. While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. More than half of people with a mental health condition in the U.S. did not receive any treatment in the last year.

Mental Health and Well-being

Fact Sheets

  • Active Listening – The most common communication problem is not listening. To listen effectively, we must do more than just hear what is being said. We must be engaged and practice the four rules of active listening. Active listening is all about building rapport, understanding, and trust.
  • Six Tips to Maintain Mental Well-Being During COVID-19 – Some of the best things that individuals can do to preserve mental well-being is stick to a routine, maintain a regular sleep schedule, spend time outside when possible, step away from time to time, leverage technology for connecting with others, and practice positivity and gratitude.
  • Stress Awareness: Learning to Relax – We are all familiar with the word “stress.” It’s synonymous with change. Anything that causes a change in your life can cause stress, regardless of whether it is a positive or negative change. It is important to recognize when you’re feeling stressed, how stress can affect your body and health, and learn positive ways to reduce or cope with your stress.
  • Ten Elements of Verbal De-escalation – Using the ten elements of verbal de-escalation improves patient and staff safety, increases staff satisfaction, and reduces use of force and occurrence of violence.
  • Work & Life Balance – Daily stressors are a given in life. Burnout, however, is more than daily stress and it is important to recognize the early warning signs, identify ways to mitigate, and the importance of recognizing three good things each day.
  • Work & Life Balance Pocket Tip Cards 
  • NAMI Indiana State Fact Sheet
  • What You Can Do for Depression – This resource provides a list of things you can do to cope with your symptoms of depression and improve your quality of life. 
  • Depression Goal Setting – Repeatedly doing things you used to enjoy, even when you don’t feel like it, can help your depression. Write a goal down, cut out the card provided, and keep it with you to remind and motivate you when feeling depressed.
  • Mental Health Emergency – It’s important to know that warning signs are not always present when a mental health crisis is developing. This resource describes the warning signs of a mental health crisis, what to do in a mental health crisis, techniques that may help de-escalate a crisis, and how to respond to unusual behavior.
  • What is Depression – Depression is very common. It’s not just feeling down or sad. It’s a mixture of feelings and actions that a person has that makes up depression. This resource highlights a few things to know about depression and ways to help manage your symptoms and again do the things in life that you enjoy.
  • Good Mental Health is Ageless – A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body. However, being in good mental health doesn’t mean that you’ll never feel sad, lonely, or “down.” This resource highlights some situations that may prompt feelings of sadness or depression, behavior changes that may suggest emotional problems, and things you can do if depression or other changes in your behavior last longer than two weeks.
  • Tips for Supporting Employee Mental Health – Work can be stressful, and so can homelife. When they interact and overlap, as they do in a work-from-home arrangement, we may find ourselves feeling overwhelmed. Within this booklet you will find tips on how to identify if someone at work is experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression; when and how to provide support; resources available at the national level; and tools that can be used for social media, emails, and newsletters. 
  • Tips for Healthcare Professionals: Coping with Stress and Compassion Fatigue – This tip sheet explores stress and compassion fatigue, as well as signs of distress after a disaster. It identifies ways to cope and enhance resilience, along with resources for more information and support. 
  • Key Ingredients for Successful Trauma-Informed Care Implementation
  • Key Ingredients for Trauma-Informed Care
  • Take Care of Yourself as a Caregiver

Toolkits

Helpful Resources

Local/State

National