BASF employees receive Mental Health First Aid^® certifications across the United States

Over 120 BASF U.S. employees received information and tools to help identify and provide first aid to people struggling with mental health afflictions.

Did you know that nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness? Chances are, we all know someone affected by a mental health challenge. Currently, the most common mental illnesses in the United States are anxiety disorders, affecting approximately 40 million people.

Mental health challenges can be heightened by stress, which can often be caused or aggravated by work. For this reason, understanding how to identify signs of distress in others is crucial to providing the support they need at the right time and lessening the pressure.

Lend a helping hand

At BASF, we strive to create a culture of wellbeing where employees feel empowered and supported in reaching their health and wellbeing goals. We understand that sometimes it can be hard to cope with the stress and pressures of day-to-day life, to bounce back after difficult situations and to adapt to adversity. We want our employees to feel seen, heard, valued and supported at work and home.

One way we are empowering some of our colleagues is by offering a Mental Health First Aid®* certification for team members across the U.S. from areas such as Human Resources, Corporate Medical and our onsite first aid teams, among others.

Participants learned how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges, how to offer initial help and guide a person toward appropriate care, if necessary. This first-of-its-kind mental health certification training complements the many other types of first aid training BASF already offers as a responsible and safety-focused company.

HealthFitness, a leading fitness solutions provider with a holistic approach that includes Mental Health First Aid® certification courses, held a one-day virtual course for BASF team members, which included exercises, practices, and hypothetical real-life scenarios. Participants who completed the course obtained a three-year certification.

The power of knowledge

Since completing the training, several team members experienced situations where they could already apply the training they received.

Chrissy Russell, Manufacturing Talent Program Manager, put to use her first aid training in an unexpected spot. “I came home one night, and an older woman was sitting on the bench on my porch. I didn’t recognize her, so I parked and asked if I could help her. She seemed very lost and confused, she thought she lived there, in my house. I live in a really small town, so I got the lady a glass of water, went inside and called the police, asking if anyone had reported an Alzheimer’s or dementia patient missing.

I lost my own mom to Alzheimer’s 20 years ago, and this one broke my heart and was tough for me. However, I could still put some of the techniques I learned in class to good use. For example, remaining calm, trying to keep the person safe and seeking higher level help,” Russell reflects.

Miranda Outlaw, a Trade Compliance Specialist, also experienced a situation with a close friend where the training came in handy. In her words, “I had a friend who was completely overwhelmed with all of the things going on in their life to the point that they had a huge outburst in front of me. I was able to draw on what I learned to give a compassionate, unjudgmental ear so they could vent. I could step back and ask them if they wanted some strategies/advice before just going in and providing it when they didn’t want to hear it. I realized after the class that avoiding talking about someone’s hardship with them, especially if we have discussed it previously, could make the person feel more alone about the situation.”

As part of our efforts to improve awareness of mental health topics, leaders can also access on-demand training in psychological safety, healthy boundary setting and recognizing and responding to employee mental health. 

We also provide a wide array of benefits to U.S. team members, including free access to therapy and coaching sessions, family counseling and substance use disorder support.

Learn more about BASF’s benefits for employees

Published on July 29, 2024 by Mariana Licio.

For media inquiries or to repurpose this article, please contact Lisa Brown.

^{*Mental Health First Aid® is a trademark registered by the National Council of Mental Health (formerly known as the National Council for Behavioral Health).}