TY - JOUR
AU - K. N. Gable
AU - S. Hunziker
AU - J. A. Dopheide
AU - S. M. Catanzano
AU - S. C. Harris
AU - M. Wang
A1 - 
AB - INTRODUCTION: Doctor of pharmacy programs are encouraged to proactively promote well-being for students, faculty, and staff. In addition, a need has been highlighted to place greater focus on reducing mental health stigma within the promotion of patient-centered care. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants how to support individuals experiencing a mental health challenge. Incorporation of MHFA into healthcare education has become an interest for many programs to address these needs, however, limited research is available regarding implementation of MHFA into pharmacy curricula. This study aimed to assess the current state of MHFA within existing PharmD programs and present opportunities to facilitate MHFA integration. METHODS: An online survey was administered to all Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited pharmacy programs within the United States (US). Survey questions collected information on institution demographics, whether MHFA training is currently offered, and specifics of the MHFA training program. Questions assessing barriers and successes with MHFA implementation were also included. RESULTS: Twenty-six of the 52 programs that responded to the survey indicated that they offer MHFA to pharmacy students, with thirteen programs incorporating it as a core requirement within their curriculum. The top identified barriers to implementation included time requirements for training, cost, and curricular structure. CONCLUSION: Implementation of MHFA is feasible as a required element of pharmacy curricula and aligns with ACPE standards 2025. MHFA training can assist student pharmacists with developing competency in providing care for persons with mental health and substance use challenges.
AD - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy, 40 Hairpin Drive, Science East, Edwardsville, IL 62025, United States of America. Electronic address: kgable@siue.edu.; Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy, 40 Hairpin Drive, Science East, Edwardsville, IL 62025, United States of America.; University of Southern California Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.; The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX, United States of America.; , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.
AN - 40273884
BT - Curr Pharm Teach Learn
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 7
DA - Jul
DO - 10.1016/j.cptl.2025.102363
DP - NLM
ET - 20250423
IS - 7
JF - Curr Pharm Teach Learn
LA - eng
N2 - INTRODUCTION: Doctor of pharmacy programs are encouraged to proactively promote well-being for students, faculty, and staff. In addition, a need has been highlighted to place greater focus on reducing mental health stigma within the promotion of patient-centered care. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants how to support individuals experiencing a mental health challenge. Incorporation of MHFA into healthcare education has become an interest for many programs to address these needs, however, limited research is available regarding implementation of MHFA into pharmacy curricula. This study aimed to assess the current state of MHFA within existing PharmD programs and present opportunities to facilitate MHFA integration. METHODS: An online survey was administered to all Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited pharmacy programs within the United States (US). Survey questions collected information on institution demographics, whether MHFA training is currently offered, and specifics of the MHFA training program. Questions assessing barriers and successes with MHFA implementation were also included. RESULTS: Twenty-six of the 52 programs that responded to the survey indicated that they offer MHFA to pharmacy students, with thirteen programs incorporating it as a core requirement within their curriculum. The top identified barriers to implementation included time requirements for training, cost, and curricular structure. CONCLUSION: Implementation of MHFA is feasible as a required element of pharmacy curricula and aligns with ACPE standards 2025. MHFA training can assist student pharmacists with developing competency in providing care for persons with mental health and substance use challenges.
PY - 2025
SN - 1877-1297
SP - 102363
ST - Insights from the integration of mental health first aid into pharmacy education
T1 - Insights from the integration of mental health first aid into pharmacy education
T2 - Curr Pharm Teach Learn
TI - Insights from the integration of mental health first aid into pharmacy education
U1 - Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1016/j.cptl.2025.102363
VL - 17
VO - 1877-1297
Y1 - 2025
ER -