Building a culture of care at UNT Health Fort Worth
Mental health matters now more than ever, particularly within healthcare professions
such as pharmacy, medicine and allied health. These professions are increasingly experiencing
high levels of burnout, stress and emotional fatigue. These pressures were intensified
by prolonged social isolation following the COVID‑19 shutdown, the rise of constant
smartphone use and doom scrolling, and emerging concerns about dependency on AI tools
that may unintentionally replace meaningful human interaction. Together, these forces
have contributed to what many experts describe as a growing mental health crisis.
At UNT Health Fort Worth, this commitment is reflected in the offering of Mental Health First Aid training, an evidence‑based program designed to equip participants with the skills and confidence to respond to mental health challenges when they arise.
Mental Health First Aid functions much like a traditional first aid kit; something you reach for in a moment of urgency. The training provides practical tools, techniques, and best practices to help participants recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, intervene early and offer support until professional care is available. Just as CPR can stabilize a physical emergency, MHFA can disrupt a mental health crisis and make a life‑changing difference for someone in distress.
“Mental Health First Aid gives people a framework for what to do when they see someone struggling,” said Dr. Evan Robinson, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Professions and a Certified Mental Health First Aid instructor. “In healthcare we are taught to improve patient outcomes via person-centered care and mental health challenges are a part of that and deserving of informed, compassionate action.”
This year’s MHFA training at UNT Health Fort Worth is co‑taught by Robinson alongside Dr. Iftekhar Amin, PhD, a professor at UNT Dallas. Together, they bring academic expertise, instructional experience, and a shared commitment to advancing mental health literacy across campus and beyond.
“As educators and healthcare leaders, we have a responsibility to prepare our students, faculty, and staff not only for their professions, but for all possible challenges they may face,” Robinson said. “Mental Health First Aid empowers our community to recognize distress early, respond without judgment, and help connect people to the care they need.”
According to Dr. Amin, the training sessions have had a positive impact in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with over 1,400 people having completed the course to date. The training has made a notable difference within the healthcare and first responder community.
“There have been hundreds of studies on the impact of this training on the first responders and adults in general,” Amin said. “Since physical health and mental health are connected, healthcare professionals encounter individuals experiencing mental health challenges or crises. If they are trained as mental health first aiders, it is expected that the patient outcomes would be better."
According to Annabel Luna, community engagement strategist with the Office of the President at UNT Health, the impact of MHFA extends well beyond the classroom:
“Hosting Mental Health First Aid training on our campus allows us to build a more informed, confident, and compassionate community. We equip individuals to recognize, respond to, and support mental health needs both on institution (faculty, staff and our students), and in the broader community," Luna said. The training is valuable on multiple levels: individual, institutional, and community. Given our role in this community, the training is a high‑impact and meaningful initiative.”
Luna, who completed the training in March of 2025, also reflected on the personal impact the training has had in her life so far.
“Taking this training really gave me the confidence to step in and apply what I learned as early support, to assist someone until they can get the care they need," Luna said. "It also gave me a chance to practice some of those tough, uncomfortable conversations while breaking down the stigma around mental health. Just like I’d want to be ready to perform CPR in an emergency, I now feel prepared to recognize and respond when someone may be experiencing a mental health crisis.”
Initiatives like the MHFA training remind us that awareness must lead to action. UNT Health Fort Worth is committed to 122strengthening human connection, reducing stigma, and empowering its community with the skills to care for one another by reinforcing the message that mental health is whole health.
UNT Health Fort Worth will be hosting the next Mental Health First Aid training this summer on June 17, 2026 at 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard Fort Worth, TX 76107. If you are interested in the training, please register in advance by clicking here.