Chester County organizations are offering a program for anyone interested in becoming a certified youth mental health first aider to help young people who are going through a mental health issue or crises, writes Ginger Dunbar for Daily Local News.

During the free program, participants learn the appropriate language they need to use while interacting with a young person who is experiencing a mental health issue or crisis.

“Young mental health is a new public education program designed to teach everyday citizens the needed skills to help teens struggling with mental health concerns for facing crises,” said organizers.

Linda Hershey, COAD coordinator for Coatesville, pointed out that this helps raise awareness of mental health and reduces the stigma surrounding the issue. She emphasized how important it is to let a person going through a crisis know that they are not alone and that they have resources that can help them.

Over 1,200 people in Chester County have so far been trained in the potentially life-saving skills of Mental Health First Aid since the program’s inception two years ago. Anyone interested in participating has to attend the entire session, some of which are split over two days.

The training is being presented by county Department of Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Child Guidance Resource Centers, the Coatesville Area School District, the COAD Group and the National Council on Behavioral Health, with Brandywine Health Foundation sponsoring the program.

In addition to the program aimed at youth, the organizers will soon be offering similar free adult mental health first aid training.

Find out more information including the dates and locations of available trainings at Daily Local News here.