By RealWV workers,
RealWV sat down with Dr. Jennifer Bailey earlier this week to debate a youth psychological well being coaching she and her crew on the Monroe Well being Heart are providing.
Inform us about what your program and who it serves?
Dr. Bailey: Youth Psychological Well being First Help is a world-wide evidence-based coaching program that has been carried out by a crew on the Monroe Well being Heart with sponsorship from the United Manner of the Greenbrier Valley. The course is an in-person coaching that teaches adults who work together with youth the way to identification, perceive, and reply to a youth who’s having a psychological well being problem. The coaching provides the abilities and confidence wanted to reached out and make the preliminary connection to group assets for a youth that’s struggling. By way of implementing early intervention from a caring grownup, we are able to make a optimistic impression on the psychological wellness of youth in our space.
Who can obtain the coaching? The place, when, how?
Dr. Bailey: The coaching is open to ANY grownup who works with youth and is enthusiastic about studying these expertise. By way of the continued assist of the Monroe Well being Heart and our sponsorship from the United Manner of the Greenbrier Valley, the coaching is obtainable freed from cost. A wide range of individuals have efficiently accomplished the coaching together with involved mother and father, lecturers, first responders, well being care professionals, individuals working in our native daycares and household useful resource facilities, and authorized professionals. The coaching crew is versatile in location and have introduced on the Monroe Well being Heart in Union and colleges. We’ve got periodic trainings which can be open to the general public and can quickly announce our subsequent coaching alternative. We’re open to coaching to a selective group resembling colleges, non-profit organizations, or companies relying on the necessity. For coaching data, please contact Brandy Lester at b.lester@monroehealthcenter.com or name at (304)772-3064 ext. 124.
Are you able to give us a way of what the coaching is like or what people will study?
Dr. Bailey: Youth Psychological Well being First Help teaches adults a scientific method to intervening with a youth that could be struggling. Just like medical first assist, individuals discover ways to be the hyperlink between a youth and the assets that they could must thrive. The coaching is an interactive, fingers on coaching the place individuals won’t solely study data but additionally follow their expertise all whereas constructing connections with different group members.
Why is youth psychological well being so necessary in at the moment’s world?
Dr. Bailey: Youth psychological wellness is a serious concern for our space. It’s no secret that our youngsters and adolescents are struggling. The most recent statistics for depressive associated signs in WV present that 48% of West Virginia Teenagers (64% of juvenile women and 32% of juvenile boys) endure from persistent disappointment / hopelessness, 21% of WV teenagers are recognized with a depressive dysfunction, 28% of WV highschool college students have severely thought-about suicide, and 23% of WV highschool college students have tried suicide. When in comparison with the nationwide charges, WV youth are experiencing greater charges of depressive dysfunction / depressive signs. Statistics for anxiousness signs/dysfunction, substance use/problems, and all different psychological well being challenges are elevated for our WV youth as nicely. This sobering and actually heartbreaking actuality is a name to motion for the adults in these younger individuals’s lives. WV has been experiencing what appears like a by no means ending substance use dysfunction epidemic. YMHFA addresses substance use dysfunction via prevention and early intervention hoping {that a} youth could by no means even start the method of self-medicating a psychological well being dysfunction.
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Brandy Lester, Administrative Assistant, YMHFA Coordinator; Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DO FAAP, YMHFA Teacher.
Are you hopeful that you could make a distinction?
Dr. Bailey: Though our space could not have probably the most psychological well being professionals to assist with psychological well being problems in youth, we do have one of many strongest, most caring communities. As we prepare an increasing number of group members, I really feel such a way of delight in our space.
For extra data, you’ll be able to attain the Monroe Well being Heart at (304) 772-3064.