In response to our nation’s mental health crisis, Kutztown STRONG will host its second Teen Mental Health First Aid training on Saturday, March 29 in Kutztown. This groundbreaking skills-based course provides people with the tools to identify, understand and respond to teens who may be struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
One in five Americans suffer from a mental illness, and the pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in depression and anxiety, but many are reluctant to seek help or don’t know where to turn. Unlike physical conditions, symptoms of mental health and substance abuse issues can be difficult to detect. It can be difficult for friends and family to know when and how to intervene. As a result, people who need mental health services often go untreated until it’s too late.
Just as CPR can help someone without clinical training help someone having a heart attack, the Teen Mental Health First Aid course prepares participants to interact with young people experiencing a mental health crisis. Teen Mental Health First Aiders learn a five-step action plan that guides them through the process of reaching out and providing appropriate support.
“It has never been more important for our communities to discuss mental health and substance abuse,” said Chuck Ingoglia, president and CEO of the National Council for Mental Health, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the United States in 2008. “This program is breaking down barriers and stigmas so that together we can learn how to better support each other. Without mental health, there is no health.”
In just 12 years, Mental Health First Aid has become a full-fledged movement in the United States—more than 2.5 million people have become certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is growing every day.
The mission and purpose of Kutztown STRONG is to empower the next generation to make healthy, informed decisions, and envision that these healthy behaviors will create strong communities.
Christopher Bard, Teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor and Berks Area School Counselor, noted, “In my years of working with young people, I’ve learned that mental health crises rarely present themselves at the right time or with clear warning signs. When young people are struggling, they often turn to trusted adults in their lives—teachers, coaches, parents—rather than to mental health professionals they’ve never met. Mastering Teen Mental Health First Aid skills is not only valuable, it’s essential. Just as we wouldn’t hesitate to learn CPR to save a life in physical danger, we must be prepared to recognize and respond when a young person’s mental health is threatened. These skills don’t make us therapists, but they do make us capable responders in those critical moments where a compassionate, informed response can be the difference between a young person continuing to suffer in silence and finding support and a path to healing.”
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