Teen Mental Health

Peer Mental Health Advocates

Our Peer Mental Health Advocates (PMHA) are teens in our community who play a unique role at Jewish Family and Children’s Services in promoting an understanding of the importance of maintaining mental health, building a culture of support, and advocating for change.

Here is the 2025 – 2026 PMHA Calendar; we hope you can join us for all of these events!

• Sunday, October 26: PMHA Kickoff, 2:30 – 5:00pm in San Francisco (in-person)
• Tuesday, November 18: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Tuesday, December 16: Mental Health Workshop, 7:00 – 8:30pm in San Francisco (in-person)
• Tuesday, January 13: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Tuesday, January 27: Mental Health Workshop, 7:00 – 8:30pm in San Francisco (in-person)
• Tuesday, February 10: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Tuesday, March 10: JCRC Workshop: Social Movements and Advocacy on Campus, 6:00 – 8:00pm in Palo Alto (in-person)
• Tuesday, March 24: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Tuesday, April 7: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Tuesday, May 5: Advocacy Workshop, 7:00 – 8:00pm (online)
• Monday – Tuesday, May 11 – 12: Lobbying in Sacramento (2 days/1 night) *Note additional fees may apply for the overnight trip to Sacramento.

Peer Mental Health Advocates will:

• Learn from professionals in the field about how to recognize when a peer is experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis, and the steps to take to get an adult involved and access the resources available to help. The course will be taught by Deborah Schneider, YouthFirst Regional Director, who is certified as a Teen Mental Health First Aid instructor. We will be inviting special guests from the mental health field to join for sessions and to share insight into specialty areas.
• Gain experience in creating awareness about important issues regarding mental health and social media.
• Advocate for mental health-related issues in our State Legislature and build skills to effectively communicate and present ideas, views and opinions to others.

We hope you will participate in the entirety of this program, but it is designed to accommodate different interests.

If you are interested in participating in the Mental Health Workshops ONLY—please plan to attend October 26, December 16, January 27 and March 10 programming.

If you are interested in participating in the Advocacy Workshops ONLY—please plan to attend October 26 in person and the online workshops on November 18, January 13, February 10, March 24, April 7, May 5 and the trip to Sacramento May 11-12 (optional).

Cost for PMHA is $118; Early Bird price is $90 if you register by October 1.

Register Here

Teen Mental Health Workshops

These 90-minute workshops help teens recognize the signs of mental health struggles—whether in themselves or in their friends—and know what to do next. Participants will learn how to identify warning signals, practice supportive ways to respond, and understand where to turn for trusted help in the community.

Led by Deborah Schneider, Regional Director of Teen Services in Palo Alto and a certified Teen Mental Health First Aid instructor, our workshops are offered in partnership with local youth-serving organizations.

Workshop participants will learn:

• Jewish values related to mental health and Jewish practices that can support mental health.
• Warning signs of mental health struggles.
• What to say and how to say it when concerned about a friend’s or family member’s mental health.
• Local mental health resources and services, and how to access them.
• When and how to use Narcan and where to acquire it.

If you are interested in hosting a Mental Health Workshop for Teens, email Deborah Schneider at: [email protected]

Opportunities for Adults Who Work With Teens

Teen Mental Health Workshops

JFCS will offer a similar 90-minute workshop focused on Teen Mental Health but geared towards an adult audience. This workshop will be taught by Debra Sagan Massey—Director of Youth Programs and Services at JFCS—who is a certified instructor in Youth Mental Health First Aid. Cost of the Teen Mental Health Workshop for a group of adults is $350. To book a Teen Mental Health Workshop for adults, email Debra at: [email protected].

Certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid

If you are a parent of a teen, work with teens, or care about teens in your community, this essential certification is for you.

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a course which introduces adults to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents. Participants will develop their understanding of the importance of early intervention, and learn how to help an adolescent who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.

Program Format:

• Two-hour online pre-course (all participants)
• In-person course: One five-hour session or two three-hour sessions delivered one week apart.

The cost of hosting a Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification is $500 for an instructor (up to 30 participants) and $23.95/person for the materials.

For more information on how to bring this training to your colleagues, neighborhood, faith community or school, email Debra Massey [email protected]