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Support youth mental health with first aid workshop

PEKIN, Ill. - One in five teens and young adults lives with a mental health condition according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness and 5.13% of youth report having a substance use or alcohol problem according to Mental Health America.

Adults sometimes forget how hard it was to be a young person. Give struggling youth and teens in your life someone they can trust by learning how to recognize and respond when a young person might need help with a free Youth Mental Health First Aid workshop offered by University of Illinois Extension and the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center.

Adolescence is challenging for many people and mental health issues can develop during that time of life. Learn how to identify common signs and symptoms of youth mental illness or substance use. Gain skills to feel confident listening to and supporting a young person in crisis and leave with resources to connect them with appropriate care. Topics also include anxiety, depression eating disorders, ADHD, trauma, addition, self-care, social media, and bullying.

The Youth Mental Health First Aid workshop is open to the public and is appropriate for anyone in the agricultural community who wants to help farm youth. Participants will build their skills by practicing with real-world, agriculturally based scenarios. It is also relevant for teachers, school staff, coaches, camp counselors, youth group leaders, parents, and anyone who works with youth.

Register for free online at go.illinois.edu/YMHFA. Participants will complete a two-hour self-paced online training before joining the instructor for a live webinar(s) at any of the times below. Three different sessions are available.

  • Nov 30 & Dec 12 at 6-8:30pm (participants must attend both evenings)
  • Dec 5 at 9am-3pm
  • Jan 11, 2023 at 9am-3pm

For more information, contact Emily Schoenfelder at eschoe@illinois.edu or Shelby Carlson at srcarls2@illinois.edu.