Freestyle Foundation

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity for communities around the world to recognize the importance of mental health and promote greater understanding, support, and access to care. The World Health Organization’s 2026 theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” highlights the importance of listening to people who have experienced mental health challenges and including their perspectives when developing programs, services, and policies.

For prevention professionals, educators, law enforcement officers, parents, and other community partners, World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to look beyond awareness and consider how our everyday interactions can influence someone's willingness to seek help. A supportive conversation, a thoughtful referral, or simply treating someone with dignity can help reduce stigma and strengthen connections to care.

Mental health and substance use are closely connected for many individuals and families. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) emphasizes the importance of whole-person care and recognizing the person beyond a diagnosis or condition. Mental health challenges can affect relationships, school performance, employment, physical health, and participation in the community. Early recognition and support can help people connect with appropriate resources before problems become more difficult to manage.

Prevention professionals are particularly well positioned to promote protective factors such as positive relationships, social connection, healthy coping skills, access to supportive adults, and connection to community resources. Prevention is not only about preventing substance use; it also includes creating environments where people can develop resilience, feel connected, and know where to turn when they need assistance.

Teachers and school staff often spend significant time with children and adolescents and may notice changes in behavior, mood, attendance, relationships, or academic performance. While educators are not expected to diagnose mental health conditions, they can play an important role in noticing concerns, creating a supportive environment, and connecting students and families with appropriate resources.

A simple conversation can be a meaningful first step. SAMHSA encourages supportive, compassionate communication and emphasizes that people are more likely to engage with help when they feel respected and understood. Schools can strengthen mental health promotion by encouraging students to identify trusted adults, building positive relationships, reducing stigma, and making information about behavioral health resources easy to find.

Five steps for supporting someone experiencing a mental health or substance use concern

You don't have to be a mental health professional to offer meaningful support. The ALGEE action plan from Mental Health First Aid provides a simple framework for responding when someone may be experiencing a mental health or substance use concern.

☐ A — Assess for Risk of Suicide or Harm

Start with safety.

• ☐ Look for signs that the person may be at risk of harming themselves or someone else.
• ☐ Ask directly if you are concerned about suicide or self-harm.
• ☐ Take statements about suicide, hopelessness, or feeling like a burden seriously.
• ☐ If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services and follow your organization's safety procedures.
• ☐ For a mental health or suicide crisis, call or text 988.

Remember: You do not have to determine a diagnosis. Your first priority is safety.

☐ L — Listen Nonjudgmentally

Give the person space to talk.

• ☐ Find an appropriate and private place to talk when possible.
• ☐ Give the person your full attention.
• ☐ Use calm, respectful language.
• ☐ Ask open-ended questions.
• ☐ Allow the person to describe their experience in their own words.
• ☐ Avoid criticism, blame, or minimizing their feelings.

Try saying:
“I'm glad you told me. I'm here to listen.”

☐ G — Give Reassurance and Information

Offer hope without minimizing the situation.

• ☐ Let the person know that mental health concerns are common and help is available.
• ☐ Avoid telling someone to simply “get over it” or “think positively.”
• ☐ Share reliable information and resources.
• ☐ Avoid diagnosing or making promises about what will happen.
• ☐ Help the person understand that seeking professional help is a sign of strength, not failure.

Try saying:
“You don't have to handle this by yourself. There are people who can help.”

☐ E — Encourage Professional Help

Help connect the person with appropriate support.

• ☐ Encourage the person to speak with a qualified mental health or healthcare professional.
• ☐ When appropriate, help identify local counseling, treatment, or behavioral health resources.
• ☐ Encourage students to connect with an appropriate school counselor or trusted adult.
• ☐ Encourage employees to explore available workplace resources or an Employee Assistance Program.
• ☐ Offer to help the person take the next step when appropriate.

Try saying:
“Would you like me to help you find someone you can talk with?”

☐ E — Encourage Self-Help and Other Support Strategies

Support healthy connections and coping strategies.

• ☐ Encourage connection with supportive friends, family, or trusted adults.
• ☐ Encourage healthy activities, hobbies, exercise, and regular routines.
• ☐ Encourage healthy sleep and stress-management practices.
• ☐ Encourage participation in supportive community, peer, or recovery groups when appropriate.
• ☐ Encourage reducing or avoiding alcohol and other substances when they may be contributing to problems.
• ☐ Check in again when appropriate.

Try saying:
“What has helped you get through difficult times before?”

Keep ALGEE in Mind

Assess → Listen → Give → Encourage → Encourage

You don't have to have all the answers. Your role may simply be to notice a concern, listen without judgment, help someone feel supported, and connect them with appropriate help.

Mental Health First Aid provides training based on the ALGEE action plan for community members, educators, first responders, and other professionals who want to strengthen their ability to recognize and respond to mental health concerns.

World Mental Health Day is also a good opportunity to strengthen the skills we use when supporting people experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. SAMHSA offers several free, online, self-paced training courses that can be useful for prevention professionals, educators, law enforcement, and other community partners. These trainings focus on recognizing behavioral health concerns, responding safely, reducing stigma, managing stress, and connecting people with appropriate resources.

SAMHSA Training Resources:

• Creating Safe Scenes – A free, 1.5-hour training for first responders focused on assisting individuals experiencing mental illness or substance use crises. Topics include crisis response, de-escalation, safe connection, and developing community referral networks.
  
• Shield of Resilience – A free, 1-hour training specifically for law enforcement officers. It addresses occupational stress, depression, posttraumatic stress, suicide warning signs, peer support, and resources for behavioral health and resilience.
  
• First Response: Working on the Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis – A free, 1-hour training for first responders addressing the mental and physical stressors associated with responding to opioid overdoses, along with coping strategies and resources.
  
• Service to Self – A free, 1-hour training designed for firefighters and EMS personnel that addresses occupational stress, mental health and substance use concerns, healthy coping, and peer support.
  
• SAMHSA Online Training Catalog – SAMHSA's Disaster Technical Assistance Center provides additional free online behavioral health trainings for first responders and other professionals.
  

Training does not have to be limited to professionals who provide mental health services. Teachers, law enforcement officers, parents, and other community partners can benefit from understanding how to recognize concerns, communicate effectively, respond safely, and connect individuals and families with appropriate support. Building these skills across our community strengthens our collective ability to promote mental health and respond to behavioral health needs.

One of the most important messages for World Mental Health Day is that people should not have to navigate mental health challenges alone. Listening without judgment, using respectful language, and helping someone identify an appropriate source of support can make it easier for them to take the next step. The goal is not for every community professional to become a mental health provider; rather, it is to know how to recognize concerns, respond appropriately, and connect people with qualified help.

For someone experiencing emotional distress or a mental health crisis, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides access to trained crisis counselors by call or text at 988. SAMHSA also provides behavioral health resources and treatment locators for individuals and families seeking additional assistance. Remember that reaching out for support does not have to wait until someone is in crisis—early conversations and early connections to care can be valuable parts of prevention.

World Mental Health Day gives us an opportunity to ask a simple question: Are we creating communities where people feel safe enough to speak honestly about their mental health? Prevention professionals, educators, law enforcement officers, healthcare providers, families, and community organizations each see different parts of a person's life. Working together can help ensure that people are recognized, respected, and connected to appropriate support.

This October 10, consider taking one practical step: start a conversation, share a behavioral health resource, review your organization's referral procedures, participate in mental health training, or make sure the people you serve know where to find help. As SAMHSA's 2026 messaging reminds us, mental health is part of everyday life. See the person. Support the journey. Listen to lived experience. Build connection.