High Plains Mental Health
High Plains Mental Health Center will offer expanded free access to mental health training for teachers and high school students in northwest Kansas, thanks to a generous $50,000 gift from the Robert A. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation. An ambitious two-year program will seek to implement Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid in 20 school districts — one per each county served by High Plains.
Mental health challenges are common in teenagers. At least one in five teens will have a serious mental health disorder at some point in their lives. It’s estimated half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14, and 75 percent by the mid-20s. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionally affected teens and young adults, exacerbating already existing mental health needs within this demographic.
When teens are struggling, they are likely to first turn to a friend or a peer about the challenges they may be facing. However, mental health literacy is often not taught in schools or talked about at home, leaving many teens without the knowledge they need to seek help for themselves or to provide support for their friends.
That’s where Teen Mental Health First Aid can help, said Kaley Conner, manager of education and outreach at High Plains Mental Health Center.
“Teen Mental Health First Aid is a national evidence-based program that was created to help teens help other teens,” Conner said. “The content is age-appropriate and can be taught during the length of standard high school class periods. We have implemented this program in two local school districts so far and received very positive feedback from both teachers and students.
“We are so grateful for the generous support from the Schmidt Foundation that will make it possible to expand this important program to reach more schools. The information is needed now more than ever.”
The program is taught in four 90-minute class periods during the course of the semester. Teen MHFA is typically implemented for one entire grade level, sophomores to seniors, with a maximum of 30 students per class. High schools with smaller enrollments may be able to train multiple grade levels simultaneously.
Teens learn a five-step action plan to help them remember steps to take if a friend is experiencing a mental health challenge or possible crisis. The program emphasizes the importance of bringing in a trusted adult to assist and provides resources for professional help, such as 24/7 phone or text lines. Other topics covered include bullying, suicide prevention and the impact of social media.
A parent/guardian information night is offered in each participating school district before the teen training begins, and guardians always have the option of opting out their student.
Participants will receive a textbook to keep and will celebrate a program “graduation” during the fourth program meeting. Safety protocols are built into the program, such as having multiple staff members on-site from High Plains and the school district and requiring “exit tickets” after each class period to give teens a chance to discreetly request support if needed.
Before Teen MHFA can be implemented in a school district, at least 10 percent of school staff must first complete Youth MHFA training. This program is intended for educators and other adults who work with youth and is a more intensive, seven-hour workshop. It’s important for school staff to first receive mental health response training so that when a teen comes to them for help, they feel more equipped to assist, Conner said.
“The Teen MHFA program encourages students to seek help from a trusted adult, so we also need to equip those trusted adults at school so they are more prepared to have those conversations,” she said. “Youth MHFA is typically taught during a scheduled staff in-service day, though other arrangements can be made if needed.”
School districts that have offered Youth MHFA training for staff within the last three years would be eligible to implement the Teen curriculum without a repeat in-service.
The project goal is to implement Youth and Teen MHFA in 20 school systems in northwest Kansas over the next two academic years. Schools who are interested in participating are encouraged to contact Kaley Conner or Karla McFee in the High Plains education department at 785- 628-2871.