Hillsborough County teachers and school staff took part in a different first aid training on Wednesday. They learned all about mental health first aid.

The district has used the Mental Health First Aiders training and certification for three years. Now that it’s mandated by the state, they say they’ll continue training every single person who works with students on how to handle any mental health issue or crisis that may come up.

It was a role reversal for Janet Gillespie. On Wednesday, she was the student, learning all about handling mental health situations in a training session for Hillsborough Schools.

“I feel this training is super important for me because I do have a role where I’m with kids all the time, and could come upon them in a crisis at any time,” said Janet, who’s been teaching for 17 years. 

The Hillsborough County School District said this year, they’ve received more funding for mental health than any other school year, and Janet said based on what she’s seen in schools the last few years, it’s necessary. “I’ve been in a unique position these last few years, post Covid, that I get to know a lot of kids, in a lot of places in the school, and I see kids really struggling with how to cope.  They’re lacking the skill sets and the strategies for coping with these really big problems that we’re all experiencing.”

Because of that, Hillsborough County is training teachers, administrators, bus drivers, even its custodial staff on how to spot, and handle, a student in crisis.

“Students need support at any time. It could be on a bus on the way to school, maybe a student is emotional and the only person who notices is the bus driver, so then that bus driver can pass a warm handoff to a student services personnel at that campus,” said Lillian Perez,  Hillsborough County School’s Mental Health Team.

They’re taught the acronym ALGEE: assess the risk of harm, listen non-judgementally, give re-assurance, encourage professional help, and encourage self-help. 

Janet says she enjoys having something to refer to in the moment, and while teaching these days is tough, it’s truly her passion. “It’s hard. It’s really hard, but I love kids so much, and I feel like I’m qualified to do it, most of the time, so I want to be there for kids who need that person.”