Teen Mental Health First Aid
Teen MHFA teaches teens in grades 9-12, or ages 14-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends and peers.
What is Teen MHFA?
This evidence-based program teaches teens to recognize the signs and symptoms of a developing mental health challenge or crisis and how to get help from a trusted and responsible adult.
Ways to Teach and Learn
Teen 2.0 Lessons are conducted in 8 30-minute sessions or 4 60-minute sessions.
This flexibility makes Teen MHFA easier to schedule within school days, advisory periods or youth programming blocks. The curriculum features expanded video content, discussion-based activities and games that keep teens engaged.
Teen MHFA Action Plan (ROLE)
- RECOGNIZE signs that your friend may be going through a hard time.
- OPEN a conversation with your friend by asking how they are and listening.
- LINK to a parent, guardian, or trusted adult to provide support to your friend.
- ENCOURAGE your friend by staying connected and showing you care.
Learn how to bring Teen MHFA 2.0 to your community
Applications for the current school year will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Ready to become a Teen MHFA site?
Limited funding may be available through Missouri’s Department of Mental Health.
Key Implementation Requirements
Any school, youth-serving organization or organization in partnership with a school that wants to bring Teen MHFA training to teens at their site can apply to become a Teen MHFA Site. Schools and organizations must be accepted to teach Teen MHFA.
- The course must be taught to an entire grade level or group of teens.
- Sites must have approximately 10% of staff trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, in order to increase the capacity of staff to respond to a student who reaches out.
- The site must have a safety protocol in place to ensure youth safety, including having a mental health professional on site.
- The course should be taught in classes of approximately five to 30 teens on non-consecutive days. The program cannot be taught in large, assembly-style sessions.
“I know we are saving lives because kids will come report that a friend is struggling and they’ll say things from the training like “I know I’m not supposed to handle this alone. I’m supposed to reach out to a trusted adult, so here I am.”
Ms. Chelsea Boyd
Assistant Principal at Seckman Senior High
“Helping our immigrant youth develop skills to handle cultural pressure both at school and in the community.”
“After Teen MHFA class I have more confidence to talk to my parents when I get stressed.”
Geoffrey Soyiantet, Director and Teen MHFA instructor at Vitendo4Africa
“The trainers are excellent. They go out of their way to form relationships with the students and make them feel at ease while discussing hard topics.”
Liz Seely, LPC
School Counselor Académie Lafayette
How to reach us
For more information or to meet with a member of our team:
Our team is excited to help you navigate Teen MHFA.
FAQs Answers to frequently asked questions about Teen MHFA.
Teen MHFA Pricing Guide Pricing information for Instructor training and Teen MHFA Workbooks.
Teen MHFA Marketing Package Resources and information to help you bring Teen MHFA to your school or youth-serving organization.
