For the past eight years, the Farmington Valley Health District (FVHD) has been working hand-in-hand with its local communities to boost mental health awareness and build resilience across all age groups. FVHD, in partnership with Granby schools, made great progress towards achieving this goal this past year. Granby, school district made it a priority to train every staff member and every high school student in Mental Health First Aid.
This large undertaking wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of Community Health Coordinator Justine Ginsberg and Community Health Associate Jamie Dudyak. Together, they spent countless hours planning, organizing, and leading trainings that are helping to build a more resilient school environment where good mental health is a priority.
Mental Health First Aid is a crucial element in building resilience and mental health awareness within schools and communities. It equips teachers, parents, and students with the skills to recognize early signs of mental health challenges, respond appropriately, and guide individuals toward professional help. Mental Health First Aid creates a safety net by:
- Allowing for Early Identification and Intervention
- Teachers are often among the first to notice changes in a student’s behavior or academic performance.
- Parents are in a key position to observe emotional shifts at home.
- Students can support peers by recognizing distress and knowing how to respond.
Early intervention can prevent worsening mental health conditions and reduce the risk of crises such as self-harm or suicide.
- Reducing Stigma
- Training fosters open dialogue and normalizes discussions about mental health.
- It challenges myths and promotes compassionate understanding.
- Students feel safer seeking help when stigma is low, creating a culture of support.
- Improving Communication and Relationships
- Mental health literacy helps build trust between students, teachers, and parents.
- Better communication encourages students to speak up about their struggles, knowing they’ll be met with empathy and support.
- Promoting Safe and Inclusive Learning Environments
- A mentally healthy classroom is one where students feel emotionally secure.
- Teachers with training can adapt to students’ emotional needs and promote positive behavior and resilience.
- Empowering Communities
- When all stakeholders are trained, schools and homes become part of a community safety net.
- This collective awareness helps prevent isolation and ensures no one falls through the cracks.
- Crisis Preparedness
- Mental health first aid provides tools for immediate response to emotional crises.
- This includes de-escalation techniques, knowing when to involve professionals, and offering ongoing support.
The Director of School Counseling, Megan Rheiner, worked with Justine Ginsberg to ensure the school was able to make this concept a reality.
Megan said ‘It was a huge undertaking, but such an important step in creating a safety net for the students and staff. Having a common language about mental health is so important to reduce stigma […] After training 100% of high school students, we have seen an increase in the number of new students, who feel more comfortable coming to the counseling staff, and most importantly, students seem to be stepping forward earlier – before there is a crisis, which is so important in reducing the impact of mental health challenges on their school life.’
The high school students also reported some important lessons in their exit surveys after the training:
Year 9 Student: “I was surprised by the course, and I realized it was more important than I thought.”
Year 10 Student: “I think this course was very educational and well presented. I now am better certified to be able to help my friends who are struggling with mental health issues.”
Year 11 student: “It was important to learn about because we are all teens and will go through crises or know someone who is going through a crisis in our lives.”
Year 12 Student: “This course has helped me better help my empathy for other people.”