Adolescence is a trying time, and the social isolation and other challenges of the past few years have made it even more difficult for many young people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44 percent of high school students in 2021 reported that they persistently felt sad or hopeless, as the COVID-19 pandemic piled new stressors on top of the typical trials and tribulations of being a teenager.
Penn Medicine Princeton Health hopes to address the growing concern with a new program – Youth Mental Health First Aid. It is designed to train adults to recognize when adolescents are having a mental health or substance use crisis and connect them to the treatment they need.
The program is a specialized version of Mental Health First Aid, which Princeton Health Community Wellness launched in 2020. Youth Mental Health First Aid will begin in May as a multiple-day, eight-hour training offered in Plainsboro, N.J. Additional classes are scheduled to begin in July and September at locations in Hamilton and Princeton.
Topics covered in the class include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Substance use
- Eating disorders
- Conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
“This training is designed for adults who regularly interact with young people,” said Debbie Millar, RN, director of Community Wellness and Engagement. “We review typical adolescent development, introduce common mental health challenges that young people face, and teach a five-step action plan for how to help them in both crisis and non-crisis situations.”
Millar said the class is appropriate for professionals – such as teachers, other school personnel, healthcare staff, and health and human services workers – as well as parents, caregivers, family members, and neighbors.
To find available classes, visit PrincetonHCS.org/calendar and search youth mental health.