
SOCIHACKS CEO Receives Certificate for Youth Mental Health First Aid Course
Melissa Carlysle, CEO of SOCIHACKS, completed a 2-day Youth Mental Health First Aid course, hosted by Ventura County Behavioral Health and led by Mary Ellen Collins of Voice4Families and Mary Ann Diaz, a county behavioral health representative.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to educate teachers, parents, youth advocates and community members how to help teenagers who are experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or are in crisis. The course discusses mental health challenges and reviews typical adolescent development. Based on the ALGEE action plan for both crisis and non-crisis situations, mental health topics covered include: anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADD/ADHD) and eating disorders.
Read more about the Mental Health First Aid Act and how you can support the act in your local community. Advocates supporting legislation for Mental Health First Aid at their state or local level should read through the State Policy Toolkit.