New Hampshire's Camp Wiyaka Certified in Camp Mental Health

RICHMOND, N.H. - Aug. 15, 2019 - PRLog -- Camp Wiyaka of Richmond, New Hampshire was certified by LEAD, Inc. on June 24, 2019, in Camp Mental Health (CMH) certification.  Camp Mental Health certification is a 2.5-hour course that introduces camp counselors and staff to risk factors and warning signs of adolescent mental illness. It is the only early intervention course tailored to mental health challenges in the camp environment and designed to give camp counselors and staff an action plan to respond to both crisis and non-crisis situations.

LEAD intends to certify every American camp in CMH by 2025, as proactive mental health education of all camp staff is vital to ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for campers and college-aged staff. The course was designed after LEAD's executives conducted research (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gmUdKhQ387zrnvVya7K1nEew02G9Vqk-9_6drT0we0A/edit?usp=sharing) on untreated mental illness in campers and discovered dangerous trends of limited support for staff and suicide attempts occurring at overnight camp.

As one in five youth suffers from a severe mental illness and 70% of youth with mental illness fail to receive treatment, every camp professional should be certified in Camp Mental Health certification (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HFFZZVSg5s_Pg_O_DtZKc...).

This week, LEAD is celebrating Camp Wiyaka's certification in CMH, as it is the THIRD camp to be certified in the state of New Hampshire!

Many of Camp Wiyaka's camp counselors reported what they learned, felt, and took away from the course.

• "This will be useful for looking after my own health through self-care as well as my future occupations in recognizing and being aware of certain mental health issues."
• "An engaging and dynamic way to learn about mental health issues."
• "The strengths of this course were definitely the interactivity of it."

LEAD looks forward to certifying more summer camps throughout the United States. If you would like more information about Camp Mental Health Certification, please contact Kyrah Altman, Exof LEAD, Inc. at 508-717-1243 or email at Kyrah@LEADnow.org.