An Assessment of the Utility of the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: Effectiveness, Satisfaction, and Universalit
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ORIGINAL PAPER
An Assessment of the Utility of the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: Effectiveness, Satisfaction, and Universality Kristina K. Childs1 · Kim Gryglewicz2 · Richard Elligson Jr1 Received: 20 November 2019 / Accepted: 28 March 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is a training program developed to educate child-serving professionals on how to properly identify and respond to mental health needs among children and adolescents. The current study tested the utility of the training by examining the effectiveness, satisfaction, and universality across child-serving occupations. Data collected from 893 child-serving professionals was used to compare training effectiveness and training experiences across four different occupational settings (child welfare, education, support services, and the justice system). Using a pretest/posttest survey design, strong support for the effectiveness of YMHFA (i.e. knowledge, confidence, preparedness, and intentions to intervene), satisfaction with the training program, and universality of effectiveness and satisfaction across the occupational groups was found. Results highlight the utility of YMHFA across different sectors of child-serving agencies and support its sustainability. Keywords Youth mental health first aid · Mental health · Program evaluation · Effectiveness · Universality
Introduction Studies estimate that about one in every three to four children in the U.S. experience a mental health problem and nearly 28% suffer from disorders that severely impact development and overall functioning (Merikangas et al. 2010). The trajectory and prognosis of mental health conditions in childhood and adolescence is further complicated by the presence of co-occurring disorders that impact approximately 20–28% of youth (Kessler et al. 2012; Merikangas et al. 2010). Psychiatric conditions and comorbidity are associated with increased symptom severity, academic and social difficulties, physical ailments, substance abuse, less favorable responses to treatment, greater utilization of behavioral health services, and suicide risk (Borges et al. 2008; Galaif et al. 2007; Garber and Weersing 2010; Keeshin et al. 2018; Suldo et al. 2011). Despite known correlates, a large majority of youth in * Kristina K. Childs [email protected] 1
Department of Criminal Justice, College of Community Innovation and Education, University of Central Florida, 12805 Pegasus Drive, HPA 1, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
School of Social Work, College of Health Professions & Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
2
need of mental health services do not receive care (Costello et al. 2013; Merikangas et al. 2011; Mojtabai et al. 2016). Moreover, many youth live with an unidentified (and unreported) mental health problem or condition (Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health & Task Force on Mental Health 2009; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2000). Over the last
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