Educators Trained to Look for Mental Health Problems in Students

MONTGOMERY COUNTY -- Teachers are learning how to better identify and help kids struggling with mental health problems.

Free online interactive training is now available to high school teachers and staff in the county.  Officials say the training will help increase the chances of educators intervening with troubled youth who may be struggling with bullying, challenges at home, drug abuse of other psychological problems.

"Well we know that teachers see a lot of behaviors and this is a chance for teachers to learn how to take the information that they're observing, that they're hearing and to use it in a way that helps that young person get connected to services," said Helen Jones-Kelly, executive director of ADAMHS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people nationwide. Experts say there are warning signs parents need to watch out for, if your child has trouble sleeping and eating, if they talk about death, or lose interest in things that they once cared about.