Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid consists of 2-hours of self-paced content followed by 4.5 hours of instructor-led training. Online content must be created before moving on to the instructor-led webinar. Both online content and instructor-led webinar must be completed in order to receive your certificate. 

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an early intervention public education program. It teaches adults how to recognize the signs and symptoms that suggest a potential mental health challenge, how to listen nonjudgmentally and give reassurance to a youth who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, and how to refer a person to appropriate professional support and services.

Mental Health First Aid was created in Australia in 2000 by Betty Kitchener, an educator and mental health consumer, and Professor Tony Jorm, a mental health researcher. In 2008, the National Council, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health brought Mental Health First Aid to the United States.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the purpose of Youth Mental Health First Aid and the role of the Youth Mental Health First Aider.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges that may impact youth.
• Explain  the impact of traumatic experiences and the role of resilience on adolescent development.
• Apply the appropriate steps of the YMHFA Action Plan (ALGEE) to non-crisis situations.
• Apply the appropriate steps of the YMHFA Action Plan (ALGEE) to crisis situations.
• Choose appropriate methods for self-care following the application of Youth Mental Health First Aid in a crisis or non-crisis situation.

Earn 6 CEUs for completing this program.