Empowering Parents & Caregivers: Youth Mental Health First Aid
CCAMH provides ongoing training and support to parents and caregivers of youth struggling with their mental health through three programs: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training and Certification, Thematic Parent Support Groups and Parent Drop-ins where parents can “Ask the Therapist.”
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a skills-based training that starts with two hours of self-paced, online course work that you can do anytime, followed by five hours of instructor-led training.
CCAMH hosts the instructor-led portion both in-person and virtually. Our award-winning instructors have trained hundreds of parents, educators, healthcare workers, and first responders with the highest reviews.
The lively, interactive training introduces common mental health challenges for youth and teaches a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations; among the topics covered are anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders including ADHD, and eating disorders.
Upon completion, you will come away with a three-year certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid, and just like “regular first-aid” you’ll be able to respond appropriately to a youth mental health challenge or crisis equipped with a new set of skills.
“I only wish I had taken the training sooner before my son got worse. I love that it’s practical, something I can use every day. It’s certainly made me a more aware parent. I highly recommend it to every parent, grandparent, teacher, and friend regardless of the age of your child.” - Monica
