Previous Story
15 certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid
|
Posted on Jul 09 2021
Fifteen individuals from various agencies were certified Youth Mental Health First Aid, an evidence-based program aimed at identifying, understanding, and responding to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Fifteen individuals from various agencies on Tinian were certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid through a program hosted by the Community Guidance Center of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.
According to a CHCC press statement, the agencies represented at the June 29 training included the Tinian Health Center, Division of Youth Services, CHCC Population Health Programs, Tinian Youth Center, Tinian Public Library, Tinian Junior Senior High School, Public School System Behavioral Health Team, Pacific Island Health Officers Association, and CGC Tinian.
The Youth Mental Health First Aid, or YMHFA, is a program created by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing that is intended to show adults who work with adolescents the best methods of helping those from 12 to 18 years old with mental illnesses and issues with addiction.
Through the program, the participants learned of the common mental health challenges that adolescents experience, a five-step action plan to help youth in mental health crisis scenarios, and the importance of practicing self-care as a youth mental health first-aid. The participants were also exposed to training related to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The five-step action plan for youth in a mental health crisis is: (1) Assess for risk of suicide or harm, (2) Listen nonjudgmentally, (3) Give reassurance and information, (4) Encourage appropriate professional help, and (5) Encourage self-help and other support strategies.
The CHCC statement said the CGC has so far certified 1,094 individuals in the CNMI, Palau, and Guam in YMHFA, the adult mental health first aid course, or both.
