Above: Adults (including parents) who interact with tweens and teens are urged to take advantage of a free course to “Learn the Signs” of youth in crisis to help save lives. (image cropped from flyer)
Adult community members who interact with 12-18 year olds are invited to a free training program in March. The Youth Mental Health First Aid training is a 3 part program on risk factors and warning signs for common mental health problems.
The flyer describes it as an “8-hour certification course for caring adults who want to help youth (ages 12-18) who may be in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.”
The invitation isn’t restricted to professionals or volunteers dealing with children other than their own. Parents are also welcome.
The training will stretch over three nights – March 6, 13, and 27, 2019 from 6:00 – 8:30 pm at Cordaville Hall (the Southborough Senior Center). Full attendance is required for certification. The certification will be valid for three years.
The offering is by the Northboro-Southboro Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. The flyer promotes:
This FREE 8-hour course (across three evenings) teaches adults who interact with adolescents the unique risk factors and warning signs of common mental health problems in adolescents including anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, substance use disorder, and disruptive behavior disorder and gain an understanding of the importance of early intervention. As certified Youth Mental Health First Aiders, adults will possess a strong awareness of the mental health challenges facing youth in our community and greater confidence in their ability to approach and assist young people developing signs of a mental health challenge, substance use or an emotional crisis.
The program is put on in partnership with in partnership with Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services and will be run by their Mental Health First Aid Instructor Cathy Lambert.
Space is limited and the program is open to both Southborough and Northborough. So, if you’re interested, you’ll want to sign up soon by clicking here.
Anyone with questions is directed to contact one of the towns’ Youth and Family Services directors. For Southborough, that’s Sarah Cassell at scassell@southboroughma.com 508-481-5676 ext 1.
