teen Mental Health First Aid
The web version of our teen Mental Health First Aid flyer. Everything in the printed flyer is on this page.
Download original PDF flyer: teen Mental Health First Aid; opens in a new tab
Why teen Mental Health First Aid?
teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) is a training program for teens, brought to the United States by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Born This Way Foundation.
It 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 in their friends and peers.
Why It Matters
The flyer presents these figures as graphics. They are given here as a table so each number stays attached to what it measures and where it came from.
| Figure | What it represents | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 49.5% | Of adolescents ages 13–18 live with a mental disorder. More than 1 in 5 of them (22.2%) experience a severe impairment. | National Institute of Mental Health |
| 50% | Of all mental illnesses begin by age 14, and 75% by the mid-twenties. | Archives of General Psychiatry |
| 2nd | Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for youth aged 15–19. | National Center for Health Statistics |
What It Covers
- Common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
- Common signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis, particularly suicide.
- The impact of school violence and bullying on mental health.
- How to open the conversation about mental illnesses and substance use with friends.
- How to seek the help of a responsible and trusted adult.
Who Takes or Teaches tMHFA
- Teens in grades 10–12, or ages 15–18, take the course.
- High schools, organizations partnering with a high school, and youth-serving organizations are eligible to teach tMHFA.
Three Ways to Teach and Learn
In person
Lessons are conducted in person in six 45-minute sessions, or three 90-minute sessions.
Blended
Teens complete a self-paced online lesson, then participate in six live, Instructor-led sessions. Those Instructor-led sessions can be:
- Video conferences.
- In-person classes.
Schedule a Class
Contact Donna Rollyson, Mental Health First Aid Instructor, at the Northern WV Area Health Education Center to schedule a class.
- Phone
- 912-398-3244
To bring tMHFA to your community, visit MHFA.org/teens (opens in a new tab).
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Statistics: mental illness. nimh.nih.gov mental illness statistics (opens in a new tab)
- Kessler, R., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005, June). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593
- National Center for Health Statistics. (n.d.). Adolescent health. cdc.gov adolescent health (opens in a new tab)