Students Can Register for Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

Senior honors student Burgin Rome and her thesis mentor, Shari Moxley, assistant teaching professor in the School of Human Environmental Sciences, are offering a Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training free to U of A students Jan. 27-28.

The two-day training is 5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 28-29, in room 108 of the Home Economics Building. In addition to attending both in-person sessions, participants must complete approximately two hours of required online prework prior to the training.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based program that equips individuals who work with or care for youth with practical skills to recognize and respond to emerging mental health challenges. The training emphasizes early intervention strategies, supportive communication and connecting youth with appropriate help before concerns escalate into crises.

The training is especially recommended for students preparing for careers in education, human services, counseling, healthcare and other youth-serving professions. While Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings are typically valued at approximately $150, this two-part training is offered at no cost to students to expand access to mental health education and prevention skills.

"This training gives future professionals concrete tools they can use immediately in their work with young people," Moxley, a faculty member in human development family sciences, said. "By increasing confidence and awareness, we can help create safer, more supportive environments for youth."

Rome's involvement in facilitating the training is part of her undergraduate honors thesis focused on expanding youth mental health literacy among college students. This initiative is partially supported by a grant from the U of A's Women's Giving Circle.

To register go to  YMHFA Registration Form - January - Fill out form. Space may be limited, and early registration is encouraged.

For more information, contact Moxley at moxley@uark.edu or Rome at brome@uark.edu.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.