The DNP Collective Model: Enhancing Mental Health Literacy in Metro Detroit

The DNP Collective is a structured faculty-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) mentorship model developed to implement a large-scale quality improvement (QI) initiative aimed at reducing mental health disparities, enhancing early intervention skills, and strengthening doctoral nursing education. The initiative utilized Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), an evidence-based program that teaches participants to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

A QI design combined community-wide MHFA dissemination with structured faculty mentorship to ensure training fidelity, cultural adaptation, and reflective learning.

Between 2022 and 2024, thirteen DNP students, certified as MHFA instructors, delivered MHFA training across Michigan communities. Participants completed pre- and post-training surveys using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). Faculty mentors ensured fidelity and cultural relevance. Paired t-tests evaluated MHLS score changes, and chi-square analyses assessed categorical variables.

A total of 422 individuals received MHFA training, with 224 matched MHLS surveys. Mental health literacy significantly improved, with mean scores increasing from 130.6 to 137.7 (p < .001). The greatest gains were observed among underserved populations, particularly Hmong and immigrant participants with limited prior exposure to mental health education.

Integrating MHFA with structured DNP mentorship improved community mental health literacy and strengthened student leadership and project rigor. This scalable model embeds health equity and public health impact within DNP education.

For community health nurses, these findings highlight the importance of nursing-led, culturally responsive interventions in promoting mental health literacy, early intervention, and stigma reduction across diverse populations.