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teen Mental Health First Aid

teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) teaches teens in grades 9-12, or ages 14-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers.

Adolescence is a time of critical change and development, and the time when mental health challenges may first emerge. Those challenges may be the cause for falling grades, problems with close relationships and substance use. Take comfort knowing that your students will be prepared to provide support for their peers as well as better cope with mental health challenges themselves — and get assistance from a trusted adult.

Learn how to bring tMHFA to your community. Click here to get started!

 

For more info, view the tMHFA one-pager.

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To find a course or Instructor near you, enter your location below.

tMHFA was brought to the United States by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Born This Way Foundation.

Why Mental Health Matters for Teens

1 in 5
teens in the United States will experience a mental health challenge by the time they are 18.
3
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth ages 15–19.
64%
of teens in the United States who experience mental health challenges don’t seek help.

How teen Mental Health First Aid Can Help

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Course content addresses common mental health challenges in young people.
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Understanding reduces stigma.
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Teens have an Action Plan to help friends and peers who may be facing a mental health challenge or crisis, such as suicide.
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Youth learn how and when to involve a parent, guardian or other responsible and trusted adult.

Ways to Teach and Learn

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In-Person

Lessons are conducted in person in six 45-minute sessions or three 90-minute sessions.

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Blended

Six lessons consist of a self-paced online lesson followed by live, Instructor-led sessions held in person or over video conference.

 

How tMHFA Empowers Teens in New Jersey
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Parental Involvement

tMHFA sites receive resources to inform parents and guardians about the program and provide ways for them to reach out to someone at the school or organization with any questions or concerns. All parents and guardians have the opportunity to opt their child out of taking the tMHFA course.

 

Critically, tMHFA encourages teens to reach out to parent, guardian or other trusted adult. For this reason, sites are encouraged to provide Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training — our course for adults who work or live with youth — before the tMHFA course begins or concurrently with the tMHFA course to create opportunities for increased trust and shared understanding between teens and their parents/guardians.

Learn More

To read more about how Mental Health First Aid is helping critical populations,
check out our case studies , or read our blog and filter by population type.

Support Youth Who Have Experienced Trauma

 

Whether you work with children and youth, or you’re a parent or a caring neighbor, you can play a critical role in helping children and youth thrive. After receiving your certification as a teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor, we’ll enroll you — at no charge — in Strong Resilient Youth: Supporting Children and Youth Experiencing Trauma. To learn more, download the Strong Resilient Youth marketing flyer.

 

This free training will help you explain what trauma is and how it presents itself in children and youth; recognize when and how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other potentially traumatic events affect children’s and youth’s abilities to learn and engage; learn how trauma manifests in communities and why communities of color are disproportionately affected; and practice an effective approach to building stronger relationships with children and youth, helping them to build resiliency and positive coping strategies.

 

While this course is endorsed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the Strong Resilient Youth: Supporting Children and Youth Experiencing Trauma training does not contribute to Mental Health First Aid Certification or Instructor Certification requirements.

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