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Youth Mental Health First Aid Course Available To You Now!

Cheryl Chandler, NVRH Regional Prevention Partnership Coordinator, is now certified to teach the eight-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid course to those seeking skills to support young people who may be experiencing a mental health challenge.  To sign up call Cheryl at 802-748-8400.

Teachers, school staff, coaches, parents and anyone who works with youth would benefit from this course. “It is so critically important that anyone who has youth in their life learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, psychosis and substance use disorders,” said Cheryl. “I cannot over-state how crucial early intervention is – one-half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and three quarters by age 24. With so few certified to train this course in the Northeast Kingdom, and so many seeking these skills, NVRH wants to support those who serve our youth by providing tools needed to identify and help those who may be facing a mental health challenge.” NVRH is providing this course and the $18.95 manual free to participants. As few as five must enroll and up to 30 will be allowed to participate in a class. The eight hours can either occur in a one-day session or two. To sign up call Cheryl at 802-748-8400.

During her training from the National Council for Behavioral Health, Cheryl also earned a certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid which qualifies her to provide initial help to young people who may be facing a mental health challenge. Cheryl stresses that this course is not teaching people to diagnose but to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of mental illness so that they can be encouraged to seek appropriate professional help.

Funding for Cheryl’s certifications, in part, is made possible by the Regional Prevention Partnerships grant initiative (RPP); the result of a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The National Council for Behavioral Health has 2,900 member organizations serving over 10 million adults, children and families living with mental illnesses and addictions. The National Council introduced Mental Health First Aid USA and more than 1 million Americans have been trained. Cheryl’s certification required a week-long training period, an exam and a presentation which was graded by instructors and peers. Cheryl is a BSW (social work) and has over 15 years of experience in prevention, working with youth and medical social work. She has been in Prevention Services for NVRH for over two years.