Graduate School Faculty and Staff Participate in Mental Health First Aid Certification

While many students gathered outside on the quad to celebrate the LDOC on Tuesday, April 23, several faculty and staff from The Graduate School participated in a full-day training to address a far more serious topic: the mental health and wellbeing of graduate students at Duke. 

In partnership with Duke's Fuqua School of Business, TGS hosted a certification course from Mental Health First Aid, an evidence-based, early-intervention program that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges. Graduate school program directors and assistants were invited to attend and become certified as "Mental Health First Aiders," equipped with better tools to detect early signs of a mental health crisis, and connect students with appropriate resources. 

A Growing Need for Mental Health Resources

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Fuqua's Heather Moffitt, Assistant Director, and Danny McCarthy, Lecturing Fellow, led the participants through the full-day interactive workshop. Moffitt and McCarthy are part of a small group of MHFA trained instructors who have offered the session to members of Fuqua. The hope is that the program will now expand to other schools at Duke.  

The MHFA curriculum tackles challenging topics head on, equipping participants to openly discuss and appropriate respond to such mental health crises as post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, and substance abuse. 

The need for this training, says Yan Li, Psy.D., Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, has never been greater. 

"Graduate students are six times more likely than the general population to suffer from a mental health crisis," says Li. "The Graduate School felt this training and certification course would be a valuable resource for DGSs and DGSAs, who are often the first line of defense for graduate students facing personal challenges."

The goal of the MHFA program is not for first aiders to diagnose mental health conditions, but to use an evidence-based model to respond to others who are currently in crisis, or potentially headed toward one. Its ALGEE Action Plan teaches first aiders to approach and assess interactions with others mindfully, to listen nonjudgmentally, to give reassurance and information, and to encourage both connecting to professional resources and utilizing self-help support strategies.

A Focus on Wellness

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The Mental Health First Aid Training supports The Graduate School's increased focus on student wellness and wellbeing.

TGS hosted two expert professional development options as part of the DGS and DGSA Professional Development Series in the Fall of 2024 and Spring of 2025. A panel of mental health experts and faculty from across Duke discussed best practices in approaching students, shared data on current stressors of graduate students, and offered a variety of campus resources to assist students in crisis. With more than 100 faculty and staff participating across the two sessions, it was clear that these conversations are an important part of addressing the needs of the graduate student body. 

Additionally, Graduate Student Affairs has hosted a series of wellness events to help students reconnect with one another and disconnect from stress. Guided yoga, equine therapy, time with therapy dogs, succulent planting, and a petting zoo have been popular with students. 

In total, more than 30 DGSs and DGSAs attended the Mental Health First Aid training, representing over 15 Ph.D. programs.