Scale-up Youth Mental Health MVYPS
Supporting Parents in Navigating Youth Mental Health
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Youth Mental Health First Aid
This initiative supports MVYPS Strategic Priority Areas as follows:
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Students
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools
Emphasis on Relationships and Themes of Care
Focus on Strategies to Improve School Climate
How: Combining adult and youth mental health literacy in schools promotes school environments where students view adults as helpful and caring, thus improving school climates for learning. More positive school climate increases attendance rates and academic achieve, promotes student mental and physical wellbeing and teacher retention, and reduces violence in schools (Council for Children's Rights, 2019). Students who completed the teen MHFA curriculum expressed more positive school climates related to relationships with peers in school. Staff and adults completing a YMHFA training reported significantly higher levels of confidence, intentions to intervene, preparedness, and mental health literacy. Both Youth Mental Health
A Commitment to a Strong School Community Approach
Emphasis on Increasing Family Engagement
Explore Programs That Increase Support of Our Community
How: More efficient supports and access to school services may help mitigate growing budgets related to funding referrals to MH services, and additional costs to society in the long run (healthwise.org, 2019). Youth Mental Health First Aid is an effective, evidence-based approach to MH promotion, prevention, and intervention with youth. YMHFA is a mental health literacy and gate keeping program for adults who work with youth. MH literacy means "knowing when and where to seek help and developing competencies designed to improve one's mental health care and self-management capabilities” (Kutcher et al., 2016a, P154, 2016b).
YMHFA-Flyer.pdfModel for tMHFA Implementation.pdfteen MHFA one-pager.pdfPROJECT BENCHMARKS:
10% MVRHS staff trained in YMHFA by Spring 2021
Train 3-6 MVRHS teachers in teen MHFA curriculum by July 2021
Pilot teen MHFA curriculum with 10th grade in FY22
85% MVYPS staff trained in YMHFA by 2024
MVYPS parents (grades 5-12) trained in YMHFA (80 by FY22, 160 by FY23, 400 by FY24) (n = 660)
All 10-12th grade students have the opportunity to complete teen MHFA curriculum by 2024
195 in 10th grade for FY22
275 in 10th and 12th grade for FY23
190 in 10th grade for FY24
Each of MVYPS' six schools has a unique I-CARE support system and mobile I-CARE tele-therapy centers that support youth access to mental health services by FY24.
MEASURES FOR PROGRESS MONITORING:
YMHFA pre/post surveys, long-term follow-up
Annual school climate survey (EDSCLS)
teen MHFA pre/post surveys, long-term follow-up
Rates of enrollment and completion of trainings
Focus groups with students, staff, and parents
MHFA training evaluations
Frequency of school counselor referrals and student access
I-CARE quality improvement cycles (Plan-Do-Study-Act)
STATEMENTS OF NEED:
Based on MVYPS student, staff, parent, and community feedback, MedStar (2018) recommendations are to
(a) initiate a strategic informational campaign that reduces MH stigma and promotes awareness and access,
(b) improve school climates through student connectedness and safety, and
(c) support school staff mental health literacy through evidence-based professional development to engage in early identification of students experiencing MH challenges.
93% of MVYPS staff who completed the Staff Reopening Survey (August 2020), who responded to questions about professional development topics, expressed interest in professional development for mental health literacy (n = 270). There is also high levels of staff interest in PD for related topics: talking to students about difficult topics (94%, n = 269), trauma-responsiveness (93%, n = 270), and referring students to mental health supports (89%, n = 270).
Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based gate keeper training sponsored by the National Council for Behavioral Health that supports increased mental health literacy of adults who work, live, and interact with youth. YMHFA provides adults with knowledge and skills to support youth who might be experiencing mental health challenges. Evidence from YMHFA research shows that many adults who complete the training report
(a) better relationships with youth in schools,
(b) stronger feelings of efficacy for identifying symptoms of youth mental health illness/risk and supporting youth access to MH supports, as well as
(c) lower stigmatizing thoughts of youth mental illness.
MVYPS 2019 school climate survey (EDSCLS) results show that variability exists across schools and grades specific to how students report feelings of supportive environments for mental health, emotional safety and bullying, and engaging in positive relationships at school. Most results show these areas are "least favorable" as grade levels increase (7-12).
INTENDED OUTCOMES:
A strong adult support system exists for MVYPS students where adults feel knowledgable and confident with mental health literacy skills, and where students feel supported and cared about by adults in their close systems.
MVYPS staff, faculty, and administrators; parents, caregivers, and guardians; and school-community partners exhibit mental health literacy as related to completing Youth Mental First Aid trainings.
MVYPS students have knowledge of how and the agency to support one another using a peer-to-peer model to promote positive mental health, identify different symptoms of mental health struggles, and destigmatize youth mental health challenges.
Youth and adult MVYPS community members report positive relationships and safe emotional environments in schools.
Making SPACE for Parents
This initiative supports MVYPS Strategic Priority Areas as follows:
A System-Wide Commitment to Our Children
Emphasis on Physical and Emotional Welfare of Our Students
A Commitment to Nurturing the Culture Within Our Schools
Emphasis on Relationships and Themes of Care
Focus on Strategies to Improve School Climate
How:
A Commitment to a Strong School Community Approach
Emphasis on Increasing Family Engagement
Explore Programs That Increase Support of Our Community
How:
Isn't social- emotional learning (SEL) the same as mental health literacy (MHL)?
Not exactly...
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