School Officials Learning Youth Mental Health First Aid

Sunday, September 17th, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

(Natalie Eilbert, USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin) Whether you're a math teacher, a bus driver, a janitor or an office manager, schools across Wisconsin are increasingly training their staff on youth mental health first aid, a program often compared to CPR.

According to Natalie Eilbert with USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin, youth mental health first aid is designed to give adults the skills to responsibly identify and respond to adolescents in crisis.

And it's ideal for school staff, said Libby Strunz, a school mental health consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. "What's great about it is that it helps folks to support students in a role-appropriate way," Strunz said. "It's helping them to recognize that a student might be struggling."

Becoming trained in youth mental health first aid doesn't take the place of a therapist or counselor, and no mental health background is required. Youth mental health first aid training gives adults the information they need to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions and illnesses in young people ages 12 to 18.

Additionally, it helps adults pick up on behaviors associated with substance use disorders, trauma and bullying. Then, adults can connect youth to student services or mental health professionals.

It's been recognized as a critical program statewide for how it addresses the youth mental health crisis. Young people are struggling with historically high rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, especially girls, LGBTQ+ youths, and youths of color at both national and state levels.

Without addressing mental health, public school leaders across the state believe the academic gap that developed during the pandemic, when students were learning remotely, will continue to widen.

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