
In this two-year project, the Maple Shade Board of Education is partnering with the Mental Health Association in New Jersey, Inc. to develop a team of five certified Mental Health First Aid-Youth (MHFA-Youth) instructors consisting of school nurses, school safety officers, teachers, coaches and individual community members. MHFA-Youth training participants learn to identify risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in youth, understand the importance of early intervention, and develop the intervention skills to assist an adolescent experiencing a crisis. Through this project, the five instructors are training 200 school district and regional community stakeholders in Mental Health First Aid-Youth throughout Burlington County, becoming part of a statewide network of 15 MHFA-Youth trainers, and developing a plan for self-sufficiency that incorporates policy-and systems-change to increase awareness of mental health and substance use issues among adolescents. Over the long term, this network of certified trainers could impact health and equity across New Jersey by reducing the stigma of mental illness and addressing the behavioral health needs of adolescents in New Jersey through increased mental health literacy and improved access to care.
Project
Grant Recipient
Contacts
Beth Norcia
Superintendent
(856) 779-1750
Barbara Behnke
Director of Curriculum
(856) 779-1750
Topics
Counties Served
View updates about this work:
Murphy Announces Youth Mental Health Initiatives at Maple Shade High
Burlington County Times/ Levinsky, D. (2020, February 11).
Maple Shade to Pilot Mental Health First Aid Training for Teens
Burlington County Times/ D’Elia, G. (2019, October 25).
NJ School Superintendents Engage Community Partners to Support Youth through Mental Health First Aid
NJHI Blog. (2019, August 26).
Follow the latest news coverage regarding this work:
NJ Adults Take “Mental Health First Aid” Course to Spot Kids in Need
New Jersey 101.5 FM. (2018, October 24).
Maple Shade School District Staff Learn More about Mental Health
Burlington County Times/Ryan, L. (2018, October 26).