Youth Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help an adolescent who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.  The 8-hour course covers a range of common disorders and potential crises such as helping a young person who is having a panic attack, is contemplating suicide or is struggling with substance abuse. This training is open to any Region 4 school system employee (teacher, administrator, support staff, central office staff,, etc.). Youth Mental Health First Aid certification teaches participants to:

• Recognize the potential risk factors and warning signs of a variety of mental health challenges common among adolescents, including: depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, AD/HD, disruptive behavioral disorders, and substance use disorders.
• Use a 5-step action plan to help a young person in crisis connect with appropriate professional help.
• Interpret the prevalence of various mental health disorders in youth within 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 a young person with a mental health problem treat and manage the problem and achieve recovery.
• Assess their own views and feelings about youth mental health problems and disorders.