Become a Certified Youth Mental Health First Aider
What You'll Learn
In Collaboration with Coastal Connections Counseling & Consulting, LLC
Participants learn how to:
- Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges in youth
- Identify potential warning signs of a mental health crisis
- Approach and communicate with a young person who may be struggling
- Listen and provide initial support without judgment
- Encourage appropriate professional help and other supports
- Understand the importance of early intervention
- Use the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE) to guide supportive conversations and next steps
Just as CPR prepares someone to respond to a physical health emergency, Youth Mental Health First Aid prepares caring adults to provide initial support until appropriate professional help or other support can be accessed.
Whether you work in a school, church, youth organization, community program, or simply want to be better prepared to support the young people in your life, this training can help you become a more informed and confident source of support.
Recognize the signs. Start the conversation. Connect youth to support.
Training opportunities can be customized for parents and caregivers, educators, school staff, coaches, youth-serving professionals, faith communities, community organizations, and other caring adults.
One featured training opportunity is Youth Mental Health First Aid, which teaches adults how to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adolescents.
Workshop and training topics may include:
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- Recognizing signs of mental health concerns in children and adolescents
- Supporting youth experiencing stress, anxiety, grief, or emotional challenges
- Maternal mental health awareness
- Grief and loss education
- Self-care and preventing burnout among helping professionals
- Building emotionally supportive environments for children and families
- Understanding trauma and trauma-informed support
- Strengthening communication between families and helping professionals
- Mental health awareness and stigma reduction
- Connecting individuals and families with appropriate community resources
Workshops can be tailored to meet the needs of schools, agencies, churches, community organizations, parent groups, and other organizations seeking to strengthen mental health knowledge within their communities.