Free mental health training available for Pennsylvania schools

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The first day of school is right around the corner, and there's still a mental health crisis affecting children and teens across the nation.

The American Psychiatric Association told KDKA-TV there's a free resource available right now for every school employee, from coaches to cafeteria workers to nurses and teachers, but schools in Pennsylvania aren't using it yet.

Kids are getting backpacks and school supplies ready, but do they have what they need if they're struggling with mental health issues? A new poll from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation shows 84% of Americans believe school staff can play a crucial role in identifying signs of mental health issues in students.

The executive director of the APA Foundation, Rawle Andrews Jr., said there is a negative finding in the poll.

"Only 45% of people who responded believe that our school staff are getting appropriate training so they can do that work," he said.

Andrews said about two-thirds of all teachers have access to some mental health training.

"But that doesn't include all the coaches, the cafeteria staff, the custodians, the school resource offices and so forth," Andrews said.

The American Psychiatric Association can provide free training for school staff. The program is called Notice. Talk. Act. at School . Andrews said it's like "stop drop and roll" for mental health and equips all school staff with the right tools to notice.

"Recognizing by noticing signs and symptoms when something seems to be peculiar or out of the ordinary for a student," said Andrews.

Then talk.

"How do we become better active listeners as educators so that when we see something, now we know that I have a comfortable, courageous conversation? Versus a difficult conversation with a student," he said.

Then act.

"Just adding some tools, tips, and resources that may not be readily available to anybody other than the school nurse or the school counselor. So, if they do see something, they want to help, they know how to meet our students where they are," Andrews said.

Andrews said this training has not been implemented in Pennsylvania schools. But they want to change that.

"We need to get this in Western Pennsylvania and across the commonwealth. ... Everybody over an eight- to 10-hour period who is touching our students in some kind of way needs to be armed with the resources, the tools, the tips so they can help," Andrews said.

This training is funded by a federal grant. It's available at no cost to schools, staff, and parents.