About 100 high school students at MCS have been trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid this school year, through a partnership with the Madison County Rural Health Council.
High School Principal Larry Nichols worked with the Health Council to secure a trainer to deliver six 45-minute training sessions to students in grades 9-11. Through the training, students learned to recognize and understand mental health challenges for teens, how to support someone in crisis, and mental health resources available to them.
Mr. Nichols said the idea to bring this training to MCS arose following the COVID pandemic, when student mental health needs changed and increased significantly. The district first offered it to students in 2022.
“Having students look out for each other seemed like another avenue to address these needs,” he said. “They’re not learning to treat mental health issues – that’s what the professionals do. But they are able to spot the signs of someone who may be having some issues and help them seek help sooner.”
Madison is one of five school districts that participated in the youth training program through the Health Council, a nonprofit consortium of health and social services organizations in Madison County. In total, 325 students in the county completed the training.
All students who completed the training received a certificate and a training manual to use as a future resource.
For more on the Mental Health First Aid programs offered locally, visit https://mcruralhealthcouncil.org.