This starts on a personal note. Earlier this year, I noticed in an online parenting group a post about an upcoming class for teenagers in my area. The class was for mental health first aid—a concept I hadn’t specifically encountered before—and offered a certification.
I asked my teenager if it were something she’d be interested in, and proceeded to spend a week of the summer hearing about her experience in the course. She’d come home and share not only what had been taught in her class but how the instructor showed up with breakfast or provided pizza or fruit and stayed checked in with the class.
Valuable Concepts
I looked up more information about the course myself, and the more I heard and read, the more it seemed like this course should be available to every teenager. Concepts I was hearing about included sympathy and empathy, how to notice signs of substance abuse or depression among friends and peers, and when to bring a trusted adult or professional into the situation.
However, the instructor, Kim Wilson Moore, Clinical Administrator and CEO of ABC Play, had mentioned to me in passing that the course hadn’t been available locally (that’s northeastern North Carolina in my case) before now and that she had traveled to take the instructor’s course to bring it to our area. Until she schedules another round, the nearest option for teens in my area is around 3 hours away — not exactly realistic for a week-long course.
Since Ms. Moore had done the legwork to bring the course to our area, I decided to reach out to her and ask some questions that might be beneficial to teens, parents, and to other communities and leaders who would like to also benefit from a Teen Mental Health First Aid course.
She generously obliged, and what she shared with me follows.
Seeing The Need, Filling The Need
Ms. Moore mentioned seeing a need, so I asked her how she found herself bringing this resource to our community. She told me:
“I stumbled upon mental health first aid during a training for another related service. When I began to research and seek a local instructor, I was unable to locate one in our area. That’s when I decided it was imperative to have mental health first aid courses here that could benefit youth, teens, and adults. We need more resources like mental health first aid training to destigmatize the derogatory assumptions surrounding mental health.”
Social Media Impact
We hear a lot about the mental health impacts of social media on kids. I wondered what Ms. Moore had seen.
I asked, “Kids seem to be talking about mental health, particularly on social media, more than ever these days. From what you observe, would you say that is a good development or that they’re getting a lot wrong?”
She told me the following:
“Having a teenage daughter and an adolescent daughter, I am well aware of the challenges they face as they grow up and maneuver through the 21st century and its societal pressures that I did not experience. From what I have observed and have been told, I believe that social media can shed a positive light on mental health just as long as it is being used as a helping tool and not as a demeaning one. Cyberbullying can trickle into real form and transpire in our communities through verbal disputes and physical confrontations. I wouldn’t conclude that our kids “got it wrong”, but there is a lot to get right and to get to know about mental health and maintaining a positive outlet to express concerns and promote wellness.”
What Are Kids Missing?
I wondered what Ms. Moore and other instructors are seeing in their outreach. Kids may be talking about mental health, but that doesn’t mean they have the whole picture. I asked what she wishes every teenager could know about their mental health. She replied:
“I wish kids knew that mental health is not a final destination. Meaning that because one struggles with mental health and/or has a professional diagnosis, it does not mean that this is all a person is made of. People with mental health issues can look as put together as a stand-up politician or an adoring school teacher. Kids have to be educated on the signs of mental health and how to help those around them who present these struggles.”
Teen Mental Health First Aid & Communities
Upon learning that this course existed but was absent from so many communities, and Ms. Moore’s effort to ensure it reached these kids, I wondered what kind of impact we could expect.
I asked her, “How do you see the expansion of the Teen Mental Health First Aid course into more communities as a benefit to kids? What needs can you see filling in our community and others?”
She shared:
“After a few courses and positive publicity in our area about mental health, and specifically teen mental health, then I foresee more courses being requested and offered insurrounding areas. Educating and spreading awareness in our community that mental health is not a bad thing, then hopefully, it will encourage more citizens to help promote change in mental health awareness and the local resources that are afforded to such a rewarding cause. From youth, to teens, to the adults in our community, it is important to know that one does not have to suffer in silence.”
Isolation & Exclusion
Ms. Moore expanded upon the concern about people with mental health struggles suffering in silence and the stigma associated with mental health when I asked her about the greatest concern for teen mental health today. She told me:
“The greatest concern regarding teen mental health currently are the stigmas surrounding mental health. Teens become labeled as “crazy, a loner, weirdo, freak, etc”. These terms make it hard for teens to seek proper help or ask their parents for help.”
Most Important Takeaway
I wondered what objective or element in the course could most impact teen mental health across America.
I asked Ms. Moore, “If you could take one element from the course and ensure that every kid in every community across America knew it, what would that be?”
She referenced the five-step action plan, explaining:
“One element that I would use as a “take- away” or “aha” moment would be the 5-step action plan embedded within the mental health first aid courses. The 5-step action plan is vital because it teaches our children to…[see below]”
Action Plan
The 5-step action plan is:
- Look for warning signs
- Ask how someone is
- Listen up
- Help a friend connect with a trusted adult
- Know that friendship is important
So, Where Does This Course Come From?
The Teen Mental Health First Aid course is from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and was created in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. They’re spreading the program across the country and watching its impacts.
For instance, when the program was implemented in schools in Iowa, survey data showed an increase in the number of students who said they’d speak to an adult if they were concerned about a friend’s mental health (from 25% to 36%) and a near-tripling in the percentage of kids who said they would check in with a friend if they saw signs of suicidal thoughts.
Are Parents Involved?
While the Teen Mental Health First Aid course is tailored to teenagers, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing also offers a course for parents and family members called Youth Mental Health First Aid.
This course provides similar information for parents, teachers, school staff, and other concerned adults, helping them to recognize when a teenager is struggling with mental health issues and how to best address it.
How Can You Bring The Course To Your Community?
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing offers an instructor course centered on evidence-based practices. The course can be offered independently or through schools, local mental health programs, or other facilities.
While there is a national curriculum, the program offers guidance for instructors to tailor the course to their audience as necessary and to provide local resources for their community.
You can learn more about becoming an instructor here.