Youth Mental Health First Aid

Why Youth Mental Health First Aid?

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 6-18.

What Mental Health First Aid Covers

  • Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in this age group, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)

  • Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges

  • How to interact with a child or adolescent in crisis

  • How to connect the youth with help.

  • Expanded content on trauma, substance use, self-care and the impact of social media and bullying.

Who should know mental health first aid?

Teachers, School Staff, Coaches, Camp Counselors, Youth Group Leaders, parents, & Adults who work with youth.

 

Registering for a no-cost YMHFA Training

We are still setting our in-person and virtual training schedules for Winter 2024. If you wish to notified when the schedule is available, please enter your details below:

Thank you for your interest in Youth Mental health First Aid, and for registering to join one of the course options presented this winter. Before you fill out this registration form, please remember a few key points:

  • Youth Mental health First Aid training has two main components:

  1. Approximately 2 hours of self-paced work done online that must be completed before you undertake the instructor led component of the training

  2. An Instructor-Led component that will happen either In-Person, or virtually, depending upon which course option you select.

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach concerned adults the signs and symptoms of mental health and substance abuse issues in young people. Training in Youth mental health First Aid does not teach you to diagnose or treat mental health or substance abuse issues, but to use the 5 Step ALGEE action plan to approach and assess, listen nonjudgmentally, give reassurance and information, encourage appropriate professional help, self-help, and other support strategies.

  • Certification in contingent upon successful completion of both the self-paced pre-course work, and the instructor led training, as well as presence and participation.

  • All courses can have 30 available spots before they are closed to more participants.

Within two days of submitting this registration form you will receive an email inviting you to the Mental Health First Aid Connect platform. You must accept this invitation and set up a profile for yourself on MHFA Connect in order to undertake your training. If you do not receive this email, please reach out to Matt Cornish – matt@campbeechcliff.org and let him know, and he will help you to resolve the issue.

There are four courses being offered this winter:

In-Person Trainings*:

  1. TBD

  2. TBD

*All in-person trainings will take place at Camp Beech Cliff, 264 Beech Hill Rd. Mount Desert, ME 04660.  In-person trainings will also have lunch and child care-provided. 

Virtual Trainings:

  1. TBD

  2. TBD

Thank you for registering, you will receive an invitation to YMHFA Connect soon.