Boone County health department to host youth mental health first-aid training | Mid-Missouri News

COLUMBIA – Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services and the MU Extension in Boone County are collaborating to present a youth mental health first-aid (YMHFA) course.

The YMHFA training course will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 23, at  the health department, 1005 W. Worley St. 

YMHFA is a skills-based course that teaches people how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health or substance use challenges, according to the health department.

Like physical first aid and CPR, mental health first aid helps assist someone experiencing a crisis until professional assistance arrives or the crisis is resolved. 

“In 2023, Missourians and their families faced tough challenges,” said Tina Edholm, field specialist with MU Extension. “Rural Missourians, in particular, often face impediments in accessing timely mental health services due to the uneven availability of such services across communities.” 

According to Mental Health America, Missouri is currently ranked 40th in the nation, signifying a higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care.