By RealWV Staff
RealWV caught up with Dr. Jennifer Bailey earlier this week to discuss the youth mental health training she and her team offer at Monroe Health Center.
Tell us about your program and who it serves.
Dr. Bailey: Youth Mental Health First Aid is a global evidence-based training program implemented by our team at Monroe Health Center with support from United Way of Greenbrier Valley. The course is an in-person training that teaches adults who work with youth how to identify, understand, and respond to youth with mental health issues. This training gives them the skills and confidence they need to reach out to youth in distress and be the first to connect with community resources. Early intervention by caring adults can have a positive impact on the mental health of local youth.
Who can receive training? Where, when and how?
Dr. Bailey: This training is open to any adult who works with youth and is interested in learning these skills. With the ongoing support of Monroe Health Center and sponsorship from United Way of Greenbrier Valley, this training is provided free of charge. A wide variety of individuals have completed this training, including concerned parents, teachers, emergency medical personnel, medical professionals, people working in local daycares and family resource centers, and legal professionals. The training team has flexibility in location and has conducted training at Monroe Health Center in Union and at schools. We regularly hold trainings open to the public and will be announcing our next training opportunities soon. We are also open to training specific groups such as schools, nonprofits, and businesses, as needed. For more information about the training, please contact Brandi Lester at b.lester@monroehealthcenter.com or call (304)772-3064 ext. 124.
Can you tell us what the training will entail and what participants will learn?
Dr. Bailey: Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults a systematic approach to intervene with distressed youth. Similar to Medical First Aid, you learn how to connect youth with the resources they need to thrive. This training is interactive and hands-on, where participants not only learn information but also practice their skills while building connections with other community members.
Why is youth mental health so important in today’s world?
Dr. Bailey: Youth mental health is a major concern in our region. It’s no secret that our children and young people are struggling. The latest statistics on depression-related symptoms in West Virginia show that 48% of West Virginia teens (64% of teenage girls and 32% of teenage boys) suffer from persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 21% of West Virginia teens have been diagnosed with depression, 28% of West Virginia high school students have seriously considered suicide, and 23% of West Virginia high school students have attempted suicide. Compared to the national average, West Virginia youth suffer from higher rates of depression and depressive symptoms. Statistics on anxiety symptoms and disorders, substance use and disorders, and other mental health issues are also higher among West Virginia youth. This sobering and truly heartbreaking reality is a call to action for the adults in our young people’s lives. West Virginia is experiencing an epidemic of substance use disorders that has no end in sight. YMHFA addresses substance use disorders through prevention and early intervention in the hopes that young people will never even begin to self-medicate for a mental disorder.
Brandy Lester, administrative assistant, YMHFA coordinator, and Jennifer Bailey, PhD, DO FAAP, YMHFA instructor.
Do you hope you can make a difference?
Dr. Bailey: Our region may not have the most mental health professionals treating youth mental illness, but we are one of the strongest and most compassionate communities, and as we train more community members, I feel a sense of pride in our region.
For more information, please contact Monroe Health Center at (304) 772-3064.
