Mental First Aid

A movement to prepare us all
for the mental health crisis.

Background

We all know how to react when someone is bleeding, choking, or has broken a limb. But what if the problem is mental? Most have no clue.

The mental health epidemic shows no signs of slowing down. 14% of all teens have a mental disorder. 57% report feeling lonely. 40% of teens feel persistently sad, and in the U.S., one in six have planned suicide.

Although social media has done much to destigmatize mental health and bring it into the conversation, it’s also a breeding ground for misinformation and unqualified advice — especially among young people.

Idea

First aid in mental health emergencies is as fundamental a skill as CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, or wound care.

Yet, while first aid is taught in schools and workplaces, and is mandatory for driver’s licenses, mental health first aid is not widely provided.

So Barmer created Mental First Aid (German: Mentale Erste Hilfe): a science-backed, expert-reviewed online education program that teaches people how to help in a mental health emergency.

Created with Germany’s leading mental health authorities, this action-oriented course was made freely available online, offered to creators and provided to Barmer’s partner workplaces.

The mission: Make mental first aid as embedded in the structures and culture of society as physical first aid already is.

Execution

Our campaign didn’t just start a conversation.
It launched a movement.

Information alone doesn’t change culture. So we started a movement to make Mental First Aid impossible to ignore.

We brought the project to the public with eye-catching executions across OOH and digital media. Secured organic coverage in the country’s largest media outlets. Partnered with workplaces to take the trainings onboard. And took over social media with a threefold approach:

Partnered with leading TikTok creators to integrate mental first aid principles into their content, reaching millions of young people where they already engage.

Crafted content that was as emotionally resonant as it was informative — shifting how creators interact with their followers and making mental health support more actionable.

Combined expert-led education and highly shareable content so the message didn’t just spread, but stuck.