Colleges need a new type of education program on their campuses, says Kristen McLean, an Emory grad student.

It’s called Mental Health First Aid.

This program trains people how to recognize, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders, with the goal of helping someone in crisis, McLean writes in a new GHN Commentary piece.

“The program also combats stigma by creating open conversations around such illnesses, thus demystifying them,’’ says McLean.

Here’s a link to her Commentary.

Georgia Health News welcomes Commentary submissions. If you would like to propose a Commentary piece for Georgia Health News, please e-mail Andy Miller, editor of GHN, at amiller@georgiahealthnews.com