Category: General

Mental Health First Aid Comes to NC State and the CVM!

Support for mental health and wellbeing on campus is expanding. As part of a major UNC System initiative announced earlier this Fall NC State is joining a statewide effort to train 10,000 students, staff, and faculty in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), a training program that empowers individuals in the community to recognize and address mental health and substance use challenges and crises.

“Just like with physical first aid, people trained in Mental Health First Aid have the opportunity to save a life,” Shannon Dupree, Director of Wellness at University Wellness andgraffiti that reads ask a question save a life Recreation explains in a recent NC State news story on NC State’s rollout of initiative. The program, which has already trained millions of people across the US, trains participants to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, interact with and provide assistance to someone who is in crisis, and connect them to resources for help. With 1 in 5 adults experiencing mental illness in any given year, every person who completes the training can make a huge positive impact.  “Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis” according to the MHFA website.

Here at the CVM, Sheri Renno, Assistant Dean, CVM Human Resources and Julia Rice, Director of Wellbeing were among the first cohort of 16 faculty mental health first aid logoand staff at NC State to complete instructor certification to train others in MHFA. A second cohort of 9 faculty and staff followed, resulting in a total of 25 certified MHFA Instructors on NC State’s campus. The NC State instructor cohort is collaborating on the roll-out, and training dates are being offered as early as December 2021. NC State staff, faculty,  students, and house officers can complete MHFA training free of charge, as a part of the UNC System Initiative.

Everyone can play a role in supporting mental health. The MHFA initiative at NC State aims to break down barriers for getting help, and in so doing, reduce stigma around mental illness.

MHFA Course offerings at the CVM will be announced at a later date. Those interested can read more about the initiative and its rollout at NC State, or reach out to Sheri Renno and Julia Rice (sarenno@ncsu.edu and jcrice3@ncsu.edu) for questions.

Gratitude in the Halls of the CVM Hospital

You may notice an update in the halls of the CVM Hospital this week – large pieces of paper will be hung to serve as Gratitude Walls. Members of the CVM who work in the hospital (who came up with the idea, but asked to remain anonymous) explained the project and how you can participate: 
We know that not only being recognized with gratitude but expressing gratitude has a very positive impact on our wellbeing.
As we approach the anniversary of when the CVM/ hospitals went on lockdown, we want to create a space for the CVM  community to express gratitude to the people and things in this community that held them up during this very challenging year.
There will be several large paper Gratitude Walls for members of our community to share their gratitude,  prominently posted in the Terry Center and also in Health and Wellness and the Large Animal Area.
We invite you to join in recognizing the many people and ways in which we not only persevered but grew during this year.

Gratitude Walls are scheduled to go up on Wednesday, February 25.  

First Post: Here we go…

We must each lead a way of life with self-awareness and compassion, to do as much as we can. Then, whatever happens we will have no regrets. – Dalai Lama

When I think about my recent experience of becoming a member of the CVM community, the thing that comes to mind most is a genuine sense of awe. To have colleagues who excel in veterinary medicine, are passionate, brilliant and hard-working, and are dedicated to a sense of community, inclusivity, innovation and passion – you all truly are amazing to me.

I’m starting this blog for you, here at the end of the infamous year 2020, in an ongoing pandemic and during times of uncertainty. It has been a challenging year for all. One thing that has helped me keep my chin up is the idea that we’re all learning and growing, every day. It’s something that’s said a lot, but this year, we learned not to take for granted the fact that we can learn, adapt and be flexible. We found new humility in not having all the answers. No one has it all figured out yet. There’s a comfort to that, in a trying time, that we all have had to adopt a growth mindset, that is, the idea that you’re always growing and learning. And we’re working on it – together. We’re doing the best we can. So I hope this blog will help you do the best you can to be well, keep learning, and have self-awareness and compassion (for yourself and others). When it comes to wellbeing, I think those hopes are a great place to start. I look forward to going on this journey with you all.

Thank you all for welcoming me to the team,

Julia Rice
Director, CVM Wellbeing

picture of julia rice