Mental Health First Aid for Youth is designed to teach school staff, teachers, health, and human services workers how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. Participants will engage with the course asynchronously for approximately 4.5 hours prior to the 4.5 synchronous virtual training.
Participants will be able to:
- Recognize the potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems including depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury.
-Use a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional help.
-Interpret the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced negative attitudes in their communities.
-Apply knowledge of the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone with a mental health problem treat and manage the problem and achieve recovery.