Maui Youth & Family Services (MYFS) recently conducted a Youth Mental Health First Aid training session on February 13 at the Maui Family YMCA West Side Resource Center. This initiative is part of MYFS’s broader mission to enhance mental health and wellbeing programs for the youth of Maui County, which include outpatient and school-based counseling, residential shelters, and substance use treatment.
The Youth Mental Health First Aid training aims to equip individuals working with young people in the community with the necessary skills to identify, understand, and respond effectively to signs and symptoms of mental health or substance use challenges among adolescents.
Nicole Hokoana, CEO of MYFS, emphasized the importance of such training, especially in the context of the community’s recovery from recent wildfires. “With the environment we’re in post-fires, compounded by the everyday stressors young people face, having more people in the community prepared to support youth is critical,” she stated. The training, held in Lahaina, received support from the YMCA, which provided the venue.
Recent findings from a public health report by the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization indicate that over half of children in the area screen positive for depression. This statistic underscores the urgent need for community-based mental health support for youth.
During the training, participants learned essential skills for reaching out to struggling young people. They were trained on how to communicate effectively during both crisis and non-crisis situations and how to provide appropriate referrals for further help. Those who successfully passed a test at the end of the session received a Certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid.
The training was facilitated by Danielle Bergen from Maui Mental Health Trainings and Consulting, and Amber Drake, Clinical and Youth Development Supervisor for YouthLine. “I teach YMHFA because prevention and early intervention is key to reducing the amount of pain and suffering youth may experience,” Drake explained. Bergen added, “We need to communicate that it’s ok not to be ok; asking for help is a sign of strength.”
MYFS has previously conducted two other mental health training sessions designed for those supporting youth, including safeTALK-LivingWorks, which helps participants recognize signs of suicidal thoughts and connect individuals with further assistance, and Suicide Prevention Foundations SP 101, which introduces key suicide prevention concepts and skills.
An upcoming class titled Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)-LivingWorks is scheduled for March 26 and 27. This two-day workshop will feature powerful audiovisuals, discussions, and simulations to teach participants how to recognize when someone may be considering suicide and how to conduct skilled interventions, culminating in the development of a safety plan to connect them to additional support. Interested individuals can register for the class at https://mbhr.org/event/asist/.
These trainings are coordinated by MYFS and are supported by Maui United Way’s Sentry Mālama nā Keiki Initiative. This initiative provides crucial mental health support for Maui keiki affected by the Lahaina wildfires through various services, training, and partnerships with local youth-serving organizations.
MYFS is part of Maui Behavioral Health Resources, a coalition of three nonprofit agencies, including Aloha House and Malama Family Recovery Center. Collectively, these organizations serve nearly 8,000 individuals in the Maui community each year, focusing on mental health and substance use disorder treatment. More information can be found at www.MBHR.org.
