WAMPSVILLE — With the need for mental health care increasing, Madison County Rural Health Council is offering training for Youth Mental Health First Aid and teen Mental Health First Aid training.

Since the pandemic started, experts have warned of a mental health crisis facing American children that is now playing out at schools across the nation — and across New York State — in the form of increased childhood depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders, fights and thoughts of suicide.

YMHFA is an evidence-based training that teaches parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors and health and human services workers and any other adult how to identify, understand and respond to an adolescent — ages 12 to 18 — who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge— and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.

Teen Mental Health First Aid, or tMHFA, an evidence-based training program for students in grades 10 through 12 that teaches the skills to recognize and aid their peers experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges and crises, including how to quickly get the help of an adult.

Recognizing the signs is an important first step, but individuals also need the skills to help someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use challenge.

Teen Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based training sponsored by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to help teens in grades 10 through 12, or ages 15 to 18, identify the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenge in a friend. It teaches young people how to open a supportive conversation about mental health and substance use with friends and, most important, how to seek the help of a responsible and trusted adult.

The tMHFA program is designed to help teens help each other navigate the difficult waters of adolescence.

“MCRHC believes teen Mental Health First Aid training is an invaluable resource for teens, especially during these difficult times,” Madison County Rural Health Council officials said. “The program is offered by MCRHC trainers certified by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Teens have the option to become certified in teen Mental Health First Aid upon completion and attendance to all training sessions.”

As of February 2023, more than 600 adults have been trained in YMHFA and more than 500 teens have been trained in tMHFA within nine school districts throughout Chenango and Madison counties.

“We are currently working to bring this powerful training program to all teens in the surrounding counties as we expand our outreach,” officials said. “We are offering this training in both public and private schools during the day.”

For more information or how to host a MHFA training in your community, organization or school contact Madison County Rural Health Council by phone at 315-815-4141 or email at mcruralhc14@gmail.com.