New Jersey high schools are invited to attend an informational webinar that will highlight how they can team up with Teen Mental Health First Aid – also known as tMHFA – to effectively respond to teen mental health needs in a culturally responsive and trauma informed way.
Developed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, tMHFA has helped thousands of teens across the country. An evidence-based training program for teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, it teaches teens how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges and crises among friends and peers. Teens gain the skills to have supportive conversations with their friends and learn how to get the help of a responsible and trusted adult.
The program provides selected schools the opportunity to train staff at their schools to be tMHFA instructors as well as the materials and support needed to offer the curriculum to students in grades 10 to 12.
Those interested in learning about the program can register for one of three informational webinars.
Participating Schools Will Receive
- Mandatory tMHFA instructor training, which is a three-day virtual training that certifies candidates to teach the in-person delivery model of tMHFA.
- A stipend to offset the cost of substitutes during instructor training.
- Assistance in developing an implementation team and plan.
- Manuals and materials for students.
- Mentoring and assistance for school staff.
- A supportive online learning community focused on implementation and teen mental health.
- Mental health first aid for adults assisting youth training to assist schools in meeting the 10% certification requirement required by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Questions can be directed via email to the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.