Concerns Arise Over Minnesota’s Youth Mental Health Corps Program
Minnesota’s Youth Mental Health Corps program is facing scrutiny from school professionals amid growing mental health needs among students. Sydney Piras, chair-elect of the Minnesota School Counselor Association, expressed concerns about the program’s reliance on individuals with minimal training to address complex mental health issues. While the program aims to mitigate the shortage of social workers available to support youth, experts argue that corps members require more substantial preparation before engaging in such sensitive work.
The corps, which comprises young adults aged 18 to 29, includes members from the AmeriCorps Recovery Corps, who benefit from over 40 hours of rigorous training and a year of personal recovery, as highlighted by Alana Stimes. Additionally, AmeriCorps Promise Fellows receive training that includes an eight-hour mental health first aid certification to better assist students in distress. While these initiatives are intended to fill critical gaps in mental health support in schools, professionals emphasize the importance of comprehensive training and personal stability for those working with vulnerable populations. Given pending federal funding cuts for AmeriCorps, the future of this vital program remains uncertain.
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