Youth Aware of Mental Health is active in Hill County

Published: 2022
By Kati Purkett

The Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) program is a school-based program for young people to learn about and explore topics in mental health. In 2021, YAM reached 117 freshmen and sophomores at Havre High School, and by the end of the 2023 school year it will reach 168 youth. The program was invited to be taught in 2018 by the Superintendent of Schools, Craig Mueller. He understood the importance of mental health for the students and passed the sentiment on to the current high school principal Dustin Kraske and current staff members. The students are typically freshmen and participate as part of the health requirement for physical education. They are engaged and open to hard conversations around anxiety, suicide, stress, and crisis. Role play is always part of YAM that students are the most reluctant to start, but once they know they are in a safe environment, the dialog created is heartfelt, real, and helpful in making them realize they are not alone in their feelings and struggles. Students engage wth the program on rotating days which gives them time to process conversations and think through the introduction, dilemma cards, and role plays. They also have time for questions and reflection. The program gives students neeeded tools to find a caring adult and get help no matter what they are struggling with. MSU Extension looks forward to expanding the reach of the program and continuing to address the mental health needs of the students in Havre Public Schools.