Youth Mental Health First Aid Class Offered

GARDEN CITY, KAN (WesternKansasNews.com) – Garden City USD 457, in partnership with LiveWell Finney County, is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid.  This class will help adults in talking through mental health challenges with children and youth. It is for parents, school staff, youth leaders, coaches, and others who work with youth. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.

The 2020-21 Kansas Communities that Care survey of Garden City students showed the following data: 

• 2 in 10 male students surveyed in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 said they felt so sad or hopeless every day for at least two weeks that they had stopped doing usual activities. For female students in Garden City, it was 4 in 10.
• 2 in 10 female students and 1 in 10 male students surveyed in Garden City had thoughts about killing themselves in the past year.

As you are reading this, there may be some young people you are thinking about who are struggling with some things right now, maybe children and adolescents you know in your home, school and/or from the community. 

Just like a CPR/First Aid course provides laypeople a plan for helping people during accidents and emergencies, Youth Mental Health First Aid gives us a framework and action plan to support children and youth and get them connected to outside help if the crisis is immediate.

There are two options in May for learning more about how to support young people going through a tough time. The first class will be held on Wednesday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second class will be held on Monday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The classes will be held in Room 109 at GC Achieve at JD Adams Hall, 1312 N. Seventh St. There will be a break for lunch during the session, which will be on your own. 

Credit will be available through PowerLearning for school district employees. Space is limited. Sign up will be first come, first serve. You must be 18 years old to participate in the class.

About two hours of online work must be completed ahead of time or you will not be able to attend the course.

For questions or to sign up, please email Diane Elliott at delliott@gckschools.com or call 620-805-8625.