Youth Mental Health

First Aid Training

April 25th & May 2nd, 2023

5:30 – 8:00pm

Location: Zoom

The course is open to anyone 18 and older and is free for all participants.

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among youth. You’ll build skills and confidence you need to support youth in your community.

Course Topics

• Common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges

• How to interact with a young person in crisis

• How to connect a young person to help

• Expanded content on trauma, substance use, self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying m

Learners complete a 2-hour, self-paced online course and participate in two 2.5-hour, virtual instructor-led training sessions.

Registration is required and closes April 21 st at 5PM.

To learn more or register , email sarah.wilczynski@trinity -health.org

Written by Nicole Bell

Written by Lori Kintz

Written by Ed Kengerski

– A LIBRARY OF THINGS AWAITS YOU

Written by Sydney Krajewski

Written by Ed Kengerski

Written by Matt Pegouskie

Written by Chrissie Kremzier

Written by Amy Heydlauff

Written by Pat Vailliencourt

41 – SAVE. SPEND. SUPPORT.

Written by Nicole Bell 42 – LEARN CPR AND HELP SOMEONE BEAT THE ODDS

Written by Patti Bihn

– WHO IS MADISON?

Written by Dr. Anne Kittendorf

– CAIFE’ ASPIRE

Written by Ray Berg and Joe Walsh 50 – A JOURNEY OF HARD WORK AND RESILIENCE

Written by Kari Goorhouse 51 – ANDY’S PLACE – A COMMUNITY OF OPTIMISM AND HOPE

Written by Lori Kintz

52 –A LIGHTHOUSE OF LOVE

Written by Michelle Mikolajczyk

54 – MAKE A SPLASH IN THE WATER

Written by Lily Walker 55 – CHERISHED FAMILY RECIPES KEEP US CONNECTED

Written by Matt Pegouskie

Ballet Chelsea

Brio Living Services

Chelsea Community Foundation

Chelsea District Library

Chelsea Education Foundation

Chelsea Hospital

Chelsea State Bank

Dexter Community Schools

Eder & Diver Farm Bureau Insurance

Esquire Interiors

Giraffe Design Build

Go To Roofing

Heydlauff’s Appliances

Henry Ford Health

Horizon Kitchen & Bath

Huron-Clinton Metroparks

Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative

Manchester School District

Mental Health Awareness and Training

Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists, P.C.

Positively Chiropractic

Purple Rose Theatre Company

Rankin Audiology

Silver Maples of Chelsea

The Copper Nail

Traffic Jam’n

Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Millage

Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation

Written by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation staff

Everyone experiences the ups and downs called life, but when stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental illness take hold, it can leave us feeling alone. We’re not. Resilience and optimism are within reach.

For some local community members, mental health issues have increased since the pandemic started, for children, families, and older adults. But there is hope – there is significant energy among grassroots volunteers, and a meaningful commitment on the part of key institutions and their leaders to work together to build resilience, foster optimism, and identify community resources that are key in addressing issues like isolation, addiction, and suicide. They recognize that by focusing energy and resources on “One Big Thing” like mental health, they can have a meaningful impact in the overall health and well-being of our communities. One Big Thing promotes Connections, Optimism, Resilience, and Engagement. These four values (CORE) will guide our efforts from this point forward.

Over the past three years 5 Healthy Towns Foundation (5HF), Chelsea Hospital (CH), Michigan Medicine Department of Family Medicine (MM) and Washtenaw County Community Mental Health (WCCMH) have been working together under the name of “One Big Thing” (OBT).

This work has focused on shifting energy and resources upstream from treatment to prevention, and will decrease the negative impacts of mental health crises and substance use disorders.

In 2022 and early 2023, OBT invited more than 50 community partners to join our efforts, and there has been an overwhelmingly positive response. We are now poised to move from planning to action and have many new partners at the table to share this mission.

How can we work together? We have created three action teams, made up of community volunteers and professionals, to develop strategies for achieving meaningful change. This work is just getting started and many ideas have been shared. If you’d like more information on the action teams and who is participating, go to www.onebigconnection.org/ groups to learn more.

Action Team 1 – Social isolation – when people become disengaged from activities and groups they once participated in, or feel that they don’t belong, it’s easy to see that the effects can be detrimental to both physical and mental health. Participation in healthy alternatives like youth or adult recreation teams, multi-generational programs, and activities that support the whole family is one approach to addressing isolation and creating a culture of inclusiveness for all residents, young and old.

Action Team 2 – Barriers to Resources – how can we break down the obstacles to getting the resources we all need to thrive every day? Reliable transportation, local access to healthier food options, and safe and affordable housing are three important vital conditions that currently challenge our small rural towns. Partners are committed to bringing creative solutions that work in our communities, using best practices and models that have been successful.

Action Team 3 – Alcohol and Other Substances –supporting residents in recovery or those battling addiction starts with a community culture that is open to offering support groups for recovery without stigma, and choices at social events other than alcohol and recreational marijuana.

As a case study for discussion, we created a fictional person called Madison to make our focus more real and relevant. Although Madison is not a real person (see page 44), you may relate to a family like hers. She struggled to find purpose after graduating high school and battled addiction and relapsed after treatment. Her family seemed to struggle with their own challenges. So we asked the important question … what could have been changed to help Madison succeed and avoid feeling lost and isolated?

How do we use the CORE Values?

Connections – make resources available when people need help. Create opportunities to expand our social ties and make them easy to connect.

Optimism – our attitudes influence our coping strategies for everyday life and challenging social situations. Optimism can be a stepping stone to resilience and help us all see the positive possibilities of the future.

Resilience – According to mental health professionals, resilience is the ability to adapt when stress, adversity or trauma strikes. You still experience anger, grief and pain, but you’re able to keep functioning — both physically and psychologically.

Engagement – working together to reduce the stigma of mental health struggles and advocacy to keep our communities healthy will be achieved through engagement at all levels.