Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

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 youth who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, and how to refer a person to appropriate professional support and services.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.

The workshop 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.

Learning Goals

• 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.

There will be ~2 hours of advanced online work that will need to be completed prior to the in-person training. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided during the workshop. 

For more information on Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, click here.

Location

Element Hotel, 575 S Prairie View Dr, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Please Note

This event is limited to 30 participants. If you’re not one of the first 30 people to register, you will be notified that your name will be on a waitlist.

By registering for this event, you agree to attend the YMHFA Training in person on July 25^th at the Element Hotel, West Des Moines, IA.

If for some reason you are unable to attend the training, you must notify us at scsmh-main@uiowa.edu 48 hours prior to the event, otherwise we will invoice you $200 for the cost of the training.