Twenty-two Northern Marianas College students recently took part in a Youth Mental Health First Aid training sponsored by the Area Health Education Center or AHEC. The course is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent who is experiencing a mental health crisis or an addiction challenge. The training, which was conducted by Associate Director of Hawaii-Pacific Basin AHEC Erica Davis, introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan to help young people in crisis and non-crisis situations.
