Teen Mental Health First Aid (Grant Funded – Educators)

Teen MHFA is implemented differently than the Y/MHFA curriculum. A contract with an implementation site is required, as well as a variety of other safety guidelines. In many cases, it can take 6 months – 1 year to before the first class is delivered. Please review the implementation requirements here, and email MHFATraining@mhamd.org to get connected with a coordinator.

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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. Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. Adults can take comfort in knowing that the teens in the lives will be prepared to provide support for their peers, better cope with mental health challenges themselves, and get assistance from a trusted adult during times of need.

Instructors are on the frontlines of the program, training teens in their communities how to assess, respond and bring in a trusted adult if a peer seems to be having a mental health or substance use challenge. Instructors teach from a national curriculum, tailor discussions to their participants and compile a list of local resources for help. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing (NCMW) requires that adults who teach the tMHFA program to teens attend a tMHFA Instructor training to be certified in the curriculum.