Tera Howard, Senior Health Guide (Nurse Practitioner) at firsthand, has been named a 2024 Frontline Honors honoree by Behavioral Health Business.
To become a Frontline honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be:
- A dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes
- A passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into for the good of their respective industry, the patients and residents they serve, and their families
- An advocate for their industry and their fellow colleagues
Behavioral Health Business recently caught up with Howard to discuss their time in the behavioral health industry.
BHB: What drew you to this industry?
Howard: My public service journey began as a social worker, where I assisted individuals, communities, and populations facing social, emotional, and economic challenges due to environmental disenfranchisement. While social work is crucial for addressing systemic issues, my current role as a nurse practitioner allows me to have a more direct and immediate impact on people’s physical and emotional well-being. As a nurse practitioner, I can offer hands-on medical and mental care, which complements my skills as a master’s level social worker. Both nursing and social work are fulfilling professions that allow me to positively impact lives by providing empathetic support, advocacy, and care during difficult times.
BHB: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
Howard: The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that mental illness affects everyone differently, and there is no one mental illness that is universally the “hardest.” The impact of mental illness varies greatly from person to person. While some complex and severe mental health conditions can cause intense emotional pain and distress for one individual, they may not have the same effect on another. The key is to approach each person as an individual.
BHB: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Howard: Being humbly granted access to the innermost feelings and thoughts of individuals during their most vulnerable times allows me to provide essential care and make a significant difference in their lives. This is an incredibly fulfilling aspect of my work, and I am constantly humbled by the trust that my patients place in me. It is a privilege to be able to support people during these challenging times, and I am committed to providing the highest quality of care possible.
BHB: What do you want the general public to better understand about your job and the industry you serve?
Howard: At firsthand, we take a collaborative approach to serving individuals living with severe mental illness who frequently use emergency services without underlying medical support. Our team prioritizes, explains, directs, connects, and supports these individuals whenever needed. It’s important for the public to understand that mental health issues are common and treatable, and they often co-occur with addiction. This means that addressing both mental health and substance abuse simultaneously is crucial for effective treatment and recovery. Substance abuse and mental illness can create a vicious cycle, where substance use exacerbates mental health symptoms and vice versa. Seeking help early is essential, as both mental health issues and addiction can significantly impact daily quality of life and overall well-being.
BHB: What’s something that you wish other people in your organization — particularly leaders who don’t work on the front lines — understood better about your job?
Howard: When communicating the necessity of our continuous work with individuals who suffer from severe mental health challenges, it’s vital for leadership to understand the profound and potentially lasting effects that continuous exposure to individuals facing severe mental health crises can have on frontline employees. These crises disclosed by individuals may include a multitude of mental health diagnoses, stress, anxiety, depression, etc. and other social and economic challenges. Constant interaction with such situations can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout. Fortunately, firsthand’s leadership understands the need for proactive efforts to support frontline employees and that mental health is not simply beneficial but essential for the organization’s overall well-being and success.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2024, visit https://frontlinehonors.com/.
