Project Grant H79SM084566

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PROJECT - THE COLLABORATIVE FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (CES) WILL IMPLEMENT THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID PROJECT, TRAINING SCHOOL STAFF AND SERVICE PROVIDERS OF AT-RISK AND HOUSELESS STUDENTS IN THE EVIDENCE-BASED YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (YMHFA) PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, CES WILL WORK ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT MILITARY FAMILIES TO OFFER YMHFA TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF YOUTH IN MILITARY FAMILIES. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF OUR TEEN MHFA (TYMHFA) PILOT SITES, CES WILL IMPLEMENT TMHFA IN FIVE SCHOOLS TRAINING 250 TEEN PEERS. THROUGHOUT THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT WE WILL TRAIN OVER 1490 SCHOOL STAFF AND SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO WORK WITH AT RISK AND HOUSELESS YOUTH IN CES' MEMBER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF YOUTH FROM MILITARY FAMILIES, LEADERSHIP AT LOCAL CAMPS, AND TEENS IN OUR SELECTED SCHOOLS IN WESTERN MA. SCHOOLS MILITARY CAMPS HOUSELESS TEEN YEAR 1 20 25 50 YEAR 2 210 25 40 25 50 YEAR 3 210 25 40 25 50 YEAR 4 210 25 40 25 50 YEAR 5 210 25 40 25 50 TOTAL 860 100 185 100 250 THE YMHFA TRAINING WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR GOAL OF IMPROVING STAFF AND FAMILY MEMBERS' KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL DISORDERS, PARTICULARLY SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS IN YOUTH, AND TO REFER INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SIGNS OF MENTAL ILLNESS TO APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL AND SELF-HELP SERVICES. MHFA IS LISTED IN SAMHSA'S NATIONAL REGISTRY OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES (NREPP). YMHFA REDUCES STIGMA, IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY, AND EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS. THE COURSE TEACHES PARTICIPANTS THE RISK FACTORS AND WARNING SIGNS OF A VARIETY OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES COMMON AMONG ADOLESCENTS, INCLUDING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, EATING DISORDERS, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO SUPPORT YOUTH DEVELOPING SIGNS OF A MENTAL ILLNESS OR IN AN EMOTIONAL CRISIS. YMHFA TRAINING ADDRESSES THE ROLE OF TRAUMA AS A RISK FACTOR FOR MENTAL ILLNESS. CES WILL PARTNER WITH CLINICAL SUPPORT OPTIONS, SERVICENET, HAMPSHIRE VETERANS AGENCY, AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION, WESTERN MA NETWORK TO END HOMELESSNESS, COMMUNITY ACTION OF PIONEER VALLEY, AND CES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THIS TRAINING.