Answer

Introduction

            Effective leadership also depends on policies and regulations in order to ensure informed decisions and better outcomes through guided interventions. Specifically, the provision of healthcare in the US and various other countries with remarkable health standards have depended on effective policies and thus the need to continue improving the existing policies or introduce better policies that lead to improved outcomes (Weiss, Lillefjell & Magnus, 2016) Nonetheless, it is also critical to base the new or reformed polices on evidenced scientific research so as to effectively justify the initiative. Egan (2009) noted that one of the key elements in the provision of care is the provision of care based on evidenced initiatives that guarantee better outcomes. Ostensibly, this paper will introduce a new federal bill that would require the introduction of CPR training in all high schools across the US. The paper will also discuss how the bill will be introduced and enacted to the parliament and senate for further discussion and approval.

The Proposed Policy and its Background

            The title of the proposed policy is: MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING FOR CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND TEACHERS.

            This is a public health policy that seeks to introduce mental health first aid training to law enforcement officers and teachers as part of their continuing education unit. The policy is founded on the statistics provided by the National Alliance of Mental Health (2016) which notes that at least 1 in 5 adults across the US suffer from mental illness in a year. This accounts for 42.5million citizens as of 2014 (18.5% of the total population) (NAMH, 2016). Some of the mental conditions leading to the statistics are depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Another statistic by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) noted that about 9.3 million adults of 18 years and over face “serious mental illness” as illustrated by their inability to undertake daily activities (Bekiempis, 2014). In other studies, Ogloff et al (2015) noted that there is also a strong correlation in the occurrence of mental illness among drug abusers and therefore interventions towards the reduction in mental illnesses have to factor these aspects toward reducing the increase in the number of mental illnesses.

            Accordingly, the Mental Health First Aid Training offers a curriculum which if implemented nationally like the CPR training, will offer the trainees the chance to effectively respond to persons showing any signs of metal illnesses especially during crises. The mental Health First Aid Training was first introduced in Australia and as the NCCBH (2013) explains, these studies have been proved to increase the confidence of trainees towards assisting the affected individuals, the training also increases the likelihood of encouraging the affected persons to seek help, supplements the treatments efforts by mental health professionals and lastly, helps in the reduction of stigmatization attitudes associated with the condition. By targeting law enforcers and teachers, this program also allow these professional to reach a high population of the public with the highest potential for mental illness and related conditions based on their interactions. Nonetheless, the NCCBH (2013) admits that the program also requires adequate funding and thus by nationalizing the training, the federal government can also provide funds to support the program across the nation.

Policy Implementation Plan

            In order to implement the policy, I will introduce the proposal to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (for which I am a member), explain to them the foundations of the policy and even restructure it accordingly. After agreeing to the structure and actual implementation plan, I would request them to sponsor the bill to the National Council for Behavioral Health (NHBC). This policy center (NHBC) has been able to introduce numerous bills to the senate leading to their adoption and one of their latest successfully adopted bills is the Expand Excellence in Mental health Act (S2525/H.R.4567) which would lead to the expansion of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic demonstration program (NBHC, 2016). In this regard, I will request the organization to present the bill to the senate by identifying two senates as sponsors to the bill: one from my state and the other in charge of public health. In case the bill is successfully approved, the implementation requires effective planning and development of strategies.

            Since the training targets specific groups, that is; law enforcers and teachers, the organizations with these personnel have to take part in a joint curriculum development exercise. This will help the stakeholders understand the program better prior to have their law enforcers and teachers begin the training. After this, the stake holders should then introduce policies within their institutions to recommend the training as part of the requirements into the stated field and later initiate training for their own staff. These trained staff should then be certified based on the agreed qualifications and the organizations seek certificate of compliance and attainment of recommended program standards. Ostensibly, every new staff member has to be trained and certified prior to being employed or if possible, the institution has to train them prior to beginning their practice. The federal government should also co-ordinate with state departments to provide funds to support these training programs based on the number of law enforcers and teachers within the departments.