Celebrating the Success of Teen Mental Health First Aid

Jan 9, 2025

In December, 14 tenth graders successfully completed our Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) program, a national, evidence-based initiative that empowers high school students to recognize, understand, and assist friends who may be facing mental health or substance use challenges. The program also equips students to involve a trusted adult quickly, ensuring timely support during a crisis.

The impact of this program has been remarkable:

• Increased trust in school staff: More students reported trusting an adult at school to provide advice if they have a problem.

• Stronger support networks: Students noted a significant increase in feeling they have people they can depend on when they really need help.

• Enhanced adult-student connections: Many students now feel they have an adult they can talk to about important decisions and feel comfortable discussing personal problems with.

• Reduced feelings of isolation: There was a significant decrease in students saying they have no one to count on in an emergency.

By equipping students with the tools to identify and address mental health challenges, tMHFA fosters resilience, builds trusted connections, and creates a culture of care within our schools.