Twenty Evans Head community members are now better equipped to deal with the concerns and issues of local youth aged 12 to 18.
They’ve recently completed a two-day Youth Mental Health First Aid course, run under Healthy North Coast’s Healthy Towns initiative in Evans Head.
Mandy Powell, who works in the role of Evans Head Healthy Towns ‘Community Connector’, said the free course had been excellent, with great feedback from participants.
‘I can’t believe how quickly this course filled up, which goes to show there is a huge need for mental health awareness training within our community,’ Ms Powell said.
The course taught participants how to help adolescents who may be experiencing a mental health problem or crisis until appropriate professional help was received, or the crisis resolved.
Mental health problems covered were depression and anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis and substance abuse problems.
Mental health crises covered included:
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviours
- Non-suicidal self-injury
- Panic attacks
- Traumatic events
- Severe psychotic states
- Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use
- Aggressive behaviours.
Ms Powell said course facilitator Vanessa Mitchell had been ‘fantastic’ and participants had found the training to be ‘extremely beneficial’.
Click here to learn more about Youth Mental Health First Aid. (PDF)