We're testing it with the ECHO program right now. It's six sessions, so we're looking at, say, 90 minutes. It's already possible to increase the level of knowledge, and it's not just knowledge; it's the know-how. Sometimes, it's just validation of some information that people have gathered themselves, but having it in the context of formal training is enough to empower people to feel better about what they're doing.
There are existing programs out there. We just need to look at what's been done. If we look at the ECHO program specifically for the perinatal mental health, for example, one session is on screening and referral and who can do the screening and referral. We're talking about more rural areas. We have a screening and referral protocol we're now testing with midwives, which has been shown to work really well, and we're thinking it could be adapted to other types of health care professionals.
I think there's a minimum, such as asking, “What is mental health? How do I detect it? What are the tools?" and those types of things. I think it's enough to just give people information.
One thing we're realizing as well is our own biases about mental health issues. We're looking at change with our screening and referral. We're looking at educating people on basic.... We have a three-hour training. We're able to show that just by giving a three-hour training, we're able to change the way people feel about mental health. I think that is a big piece we're often omitting. We're giving tools, but we're not looking at the beliefs that people hold about people who consult for mental health issues. If we're able to change the care workers' or care providers' views on mental health, we're able to improve the quality of care.