Youth Mental Health First Aid

Online 2-day course | September 17 & 18 | 9:30am-12:30pm each day

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among youth ages 12-18.

Learn how to respond with the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan (ALGEE):

Assess for risk of suicide or harm.
Listen nonjudgmentally.
Give reassurance and information.
Encourage appropriate professional help.
Encourage self-help and other support strategies.

You'll build skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to young people who are struggling, and learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

After the course, you'll be able to:

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges.

• Understand how to connect with a young person in crisis.

• Know how to connect a young person with help.

• Better understand trauma, substance-use, self-care and the impact of social media and bullying.

Participants must attend both days for the full 3-hour sessions to earn Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Presenter Bios:

Akiliah Manuel, Former Director at Lodi Public Library, has been actively engaged with underserved and underrepresented communities for 26 years. She has founded as well as worked for grass-roots non profit organizations. In addition to her MLIS, Akiliah has a BA in Psychology with an emphasis on Human Services. She is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor and has trained over 100 library staff in Mental Health First Aid. She is committed to whole person librarianship, connecting community partners for the good of patrons and equipping librarians for proper handling of critical patron issues.

Today she helps to raise awareness of library services to decarcerated populations by means of an initiative called Ready Access. Her intention is to help the library community share their love and genius!

Tamar Kirschner is the Senior Project Coordinator of Content and Training for CALL, as well as an adjunct librarian and library technology instructor at the Diablo Valley College Library in Pleasant Hill since 2016. Prior to that, she worked at Oakland Public and Solano County Libraries, with 14 years of experience in youth services. A parent of three teens, Tamar is learning about the emotional life of young adults in real time every day. She was recently certified as a Youth Mental Health Instructor and is excited to be co-teaching her first YMHFA course with Akiliah.