Spearfish High School students earn mental health first aid kits

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Poor mental health goes far beyond feeling blue. Mental health and substance use can go hand in hand. Here is some good news though, the CDC says strategies to promote a balanced mental being also help prevent drug use. Spearfish High School offers students a chance to be equipped with a mental health first aid kit.

Helping a friend with their mental health is not the same as helping them with a cut. You can’t grab a bandage from the first aid kit to heal anxiety.

“I did struggle with mental health and I never knew how to cope with it,” said Lauren Peotter, a student at Spearfish High School. “After learning in this class, I realized I had so many more people to connect with to help me get through that. I didn’t realize it, because I hardly talked to my mom about it. I kept most of it to myself.”

Each student learns the 5-step action plan: look, ask, listen, help, and friendship.

“We start the class right out of the gate and we put a spectrum on and we say every person in here has mental health. Not a single one of you is exempt. I have mental health. Every single one of you might be good, healthy, challenged, or in crisis,” says Michelle May, mental health awareness training coordinator with the Lawerence County Coalition.

May says this class gets into tough questions. “Let’s be real, suicide. It’s an awkward topic, it’s hard to talk about, and we strongly encourage them to ask the question out loud. ‘Are you thinking about killing yourself? ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ Not just harm,” explained May.

Included in this certification, students learn the recovery position. This lifesaving first aid is used if someone appears to have overdosed. Students learn what to do in this situation, lay them in the correct position and call 911.

This class helps teenagers, but anyone listening will walk away with something.

“I’ve used some of it, you know. I have certain kids who confide in me. I’ve taken some of this information and put it to work,” said Chase Tyson, a teacher at Spearfish High School.

Tyson introduced this certification to his class three years ago, he estimates 900 teens are now equipped with a mental health first aid kit.

Last week Attorney General Marty Jackley and 41 other Attorney’s General filed a lawsuit, against Meta – the company behind Facebook and Instagram. The lawsuit claims Meta promoted social media to teenagers, knowing social media is linked to mental health harm.

If you are interested in bringing this program to your organization or school email May at lccmhatcoordinator@gmail.com.

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