Youth Mental Health First‐Aid: Juvenile Justice Staff Training to Assist Youth with Mental Health Concerns

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jfcj.12158
• Author: Robert Anderson,Jennifer Treger,Alicia Lucksted
• Published date: 01 March 2020
• Date: 01 March 2020

Youth Mental Health First-Aid: Juvenile Justice

Staff Training to Assist Youth with Mental

Health Concerns

By Robert Anderson, Jennifer Treger, and Alicia Lucksted

ABSTRACT

Many youth in juvenile justice settings meet criteria for a mental health condi-

tion. Front line staff need to be able to recognize and respond to their needs, but

training is often lacking. Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) is an 8-hour

training for adults without mental health education to recognize and assist distressed

youth. This study surveyed 1,279 [State blinded] DJS front-line staff trained in

YMHFA. Of 338 returned surveys (26% response), 44% reported using YMHFA

skills at work, 56% in preventing a crisis, 25% during crises. Respondents rated

YMHFA as significantly improving their responsiveness to distressed young people.

Key words: Mental Health First Aid, mental health, risis prevention, early intervention, stafftraining.

Juvenile justice systems struggle to address the mental health and substance use

needs of youth in their systems. Maintaining a safe environment for detained youth is

essential, as is identifying high-risk behaviors and responding effectively to youth

Robert Anderson has a master’s in social work and has served in various clinical, educational and adminis-

trative roles in public and private agencies in Maryland for over 30 years. He currently is the Social Work Manager

for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and oversees behavioral health services in the Department’s

detention centers across the State. Rob has been involved in the implementation of Youth Mental Health First Aid

and Mental Health First Aid in the DJS since the earliest discussions, working closely with the Department’s Train-

ing Division and others to ensure that all DJS direct care staff are trained and utilize this evidenced based model.

Jennifer Treger is the Director of Mental Health First Aid Maryland at the Mental Health Associa-

tion of Maryland, with over 20 years of experience in the field of health promotion. Prior to joining the Men-

tal Health Association, she worked at UMBC with students of concern as well as substance abuse and sexual

assault prevention. With a master’s degree in Health Education, she has worked in diverse settings conduct-

ing a variety of health promotion and education programs including correctional facilities, drug treatment

facilities, schools and community groups.

Alicia Lucksted is a clinical-community psychologist and a mental health services research investi-

gator at the University of Maryland Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, and the Veterans Adminis-

tration VISN-5 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center. Her work focuses on reducing and

preventing the person-level harmful effects of societal stigmatization of mental illness, including several

evaluations of the Mental Health First Aid program.

Juvenile and Family Court Journal 71, No. 1

©2020 National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

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