The course will be led by Jose Quinones-Visot and Eric Williams.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers how to help those between the ages of 12 and 18 experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is for adults who regularity interact with young people.

The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD) and eating disorders.

This course is also suitable for those seeking professional credentialing as a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP) or Credentialed Prevention Specialist (CPS). The 8 CPP (Section 4) hours are approved for initial credit hours and for CPP/CPS/CASAC renewal by the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. Prevention Works training offerings are suitable for community members that are aspiring to learn more about addictions and other related topics to improve their lives and the lives of others. The course work is also recognized and approved by the Pennsylvania Certification Board through reciprocity.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required by calling Kathleen Colby, director of training services, at 664-3608, emailing kjcolby@casacweb.org or visiting casacweb.org.