Mental & Emotional Wellness

Youth in a field Michigan 4-H Youth Development works with adult volunteers and staff members to offer mental health and emotional wellness programs for youth. These programs increase knowledge of mental illness allowing participants to identify signs and symptoms and accessible mental health and wellness resources for themselves and peers.

Youth participants gain an understanding about mental health and the importance of incorporating emotional wellness and self-care into their lives. MSU Extension trained more than two thirds of staff in Mental Health First Aid and provides ongoing professional development training for staff in the areas of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and being trauma-sensitive during programming.

Available Trainings

Mental Health

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA). YMHFA is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health challenge or is in crisis. YMHFA is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The 6-8 hour course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. MSU Extension has multiple YMHFA instructors that travel across the state to train staff, volunteers and external organizations.
teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA). Teen Mental Health First Aid teaches high school students (9th, 10th, or 12th graders), and youth serving organizations how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders among their friends and peers. The training gives students the skills to have supportive mental health conversations with their friends and then identify a responsible and trusted adult to assist in connecting them to professional help. The program is designed to be delivered in schools or community sites in three interactive classroom sessions of 90 minutes each. Schools and organizations offering the training are required to train at least 10 percent of adult staff in Youth Mental Health First Aid and to train the entire grade level. Youth Mental Health First Aid trains adults to be prepared to help young people facing a crisis.
Your Thoughts Matter. Jami Dellifield and Amanda Raines are the authors of "Your Thoughts Matter" from The Ohio State University Extension. This 4-H mental health project training includes 10 one-hour sessions. Ideal for middle- or high-school students, this training covers topics such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, mental health in the media, stigma and various resources. Michigan 4-H uses "Your Thoughts Matter" in a SPIN club delivery with six or more sessions.

Mindfulness

4-H Yoga for Kids. The Healthy Living: Yoga for Kids program was developed in Arkansas, and the routines outlined in the curriculum and DVD provide simple exercises that can be performed in a variety of settings, including classrooms, camps and at home. Yoga is a great way to engage kids in physical activity because it helps improve flexibility, balance, and strength all while being noncompetitive and inexpensive. Some studies have even suggested that practicing yoga can improve a child's attention, relationships, self-esteem, and listening skills.
Mindful Mechanics. This 4-H curriculum for teens aims to promote mindful practices in the areas of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity, and has lessons in managing one’s goals, developing a sense of self, managing time and stress, regulating emotions and eating mindfully. This curriculum can also serve as a training for teens to lead lessons from the partner curriculum, Mindful Me.
Mindful Me. This 4-H curriculum contains seven one-hour sessions for youth ages 5-8. The program promotes mindful practices that lead to improvements in managing one’s goals, developing a sense of self, managing time and stress, regulating emotions and eating mindfully. Michigan 4-H uses the Mindful Me curriculum in a SPIN club format or incorporated into other healthy living programs.

GEM (Get Experience in Mindfulness). GEM aims to teach participants how to healthily manage stress through mindful activities. The curriculum contains five lessons: intentions and goal-setting, awareness and attention, self-care: stress reduction and relaxation, communication and relationships, and gratitude and acceptance, providing participants with a holistic stress management and mindfulness education.

Your Feelings Matter. This curriculum for young 4-H'ers uses two project areas, connecting with and supporting your emotions, to explore what emotions are, how to express them, and how to react to them in a positive way.

Substance Use Prevention

Health Rocks! Inspired to be Substance Free. Health Rocks! is a program aimed at reducing the use of tobacco, alcohol, vaping, and drug use using the 4-H Positive Youth Development model to develop life and decision-making skills. The Beginner Level curriculum is aimed at youth aged 8-12, and the Intermediate Level curriculum is aimed at youth aged 12-14.

Day of Wellness

Michigan State University Extension and Michigan 4-H Healthy Living hosts an annual Day of Wellness on October 10th which is World Mental Health Day. In observance of this day, Michigan 4-H Healthy Living implements multiple face to face events simultaneously across the state that promote healthy ways for youth to decrease stress and practice mindfulness. All events are free and sponsored by a variety of community partners, schools, and grant funds from the Walmart Foundation. Check with your local 4-H office to see if a 4-H Day of Wellness event is happening in your community.