We are very pleased that Governor Hochul has been a strong supporter of Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid. She has committed money in this year’s budget specifically for Teen Mental Health First Aid. Our MHANYS training team has been working hard with schools and front facing youth organizations throughout the State in providing training and outreach for Mental Health First Aid. We applaud Chenango High School for embracing ‘Teen Mental Health First Aid’ this year. For more information about the all the aspects of Adult, Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid, please link to https://mhanys.org/mhfa/
Chenango Forks High School students receive mental health training class to help peers facing crisis
“Mental Health First Aid” teaches students how to handle mental health emergencies and other crisis prevention.
By Autriya Maneshni
Published: Jan. 22, 2024 at 4:58 PM EST|Updated: 17 hours ago
BINGHAMTON (WBNG) — Tenth-grade students at Chenango Valley High School are receiving mental health training as part of their mandatory curriculum to help their peers facing a mental health emergency.
The program is known as “Mental Health First Aid” and is administered through the Madison County Rural Health Council.
Program Manager for Mental Health First Aid Jamie Hagenbuch said these classes are designed to provide teens with a better understanding of mental health.
“Statistically, teens go to teens before any trusted adult,” she said. “We want to be able to give them the tools so they can identify if a friend is becoming unwell, what to do if they are developing a mental health challenge and when to get that trusted adult.”
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 50% of teens ages 13 through 18 live with a mental disorder. Most mental disorders also develop by age 14. These classes cover a variety of topics to help teens as they face adulthood challenges.
“We start by talking about the basics, making sure everyone’s on the same page as to what is mental health,” said Hagenbuch. “Then, we start going to crisis scenarios and then we talk about resiliency and recovery.”
Tenth Grader Jaime Prince said she has learned the life-saving skill of administering Narcan through these classes.
“I didn’t know this but you can take the nasal spray and save a life,” said Prince. “It’s good to have this education on hand so you know what to do in an emergency and can remain calm.”
The program started in Australia but was brought to the United States by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The goal for the classes at Chenango Forks is to establish a permanent support system in the school between the students and faculty.
“We see first-hand a lot of our students struggling with some of that daily aspect of life,“ said Chenango Forks High School Principal Scott Tronovitch. “So, for us to be able to have a system in place to help them, and for all of us to have that basic understanding of what we can do to support them through those obstacles, to me that’s what this is all about.”
Copyright 2024 WBNG. All rights reserved.
https://www.wbng.com/2024/01/22/chenango-forks-high-school-students-receive-mental-health-training-class-help-peers-facing-crisis/
