Now is the time to provide help to our youth and young adults of Mental Challenges. Most definitions of first aid include iteration of "immediate and temporary help, emergency care, or treatment given to an injured or ill person before professional medical care is available." The goals of Youth Mental Health First Aid USA are twofold, to teach members of the public how to respond in a mental health emergency with youth and young adults and to offer support to a young person who appears to be in emotional distress.
The more knowledgeable people are about the signs and symptoms of mental disorders and other mental health challenges, the earlier youth, young adults, and their families will get the help they need.Youth and young adults face and experience mental health challenges differently than adults. Youth Mental Health First Aid USA was developed because symptoms of the same mental disorders can look different in children and adults.In addition, a number of mental health challenges are more likely to be prevalent in children and young people, such as attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders,           oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder, which are discussed in the Youth Mental Health First Aid USA Manual.
Mental Health First Aid USA is coordinated by the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Getting Prepared

The Youth Mental Health First Aid Course is for adults working or living with adolescents (those aged between 12 and 18 years), however, the course can be relevant for those helping people who are a little younger or older. This course is particularly suitable for Law Enforcement, Clinicians, Youth Workers, Parents, College Students who are studying Psychology, Teachers, Sports Coaches, Policy Makers, and Community Leaders.

Choose to take the Course

The course teaches adults how to assist adolescents who are developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. Course participants learn about adolescent development, the signs and symptoms of the common and disabling mental health problems in young people, where and how to get help when a young person is developing a mental illness, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation.