Seven Ways To Live Partners with Youth Voices Matter for Youth Mental Health Crisis Training – Spring 2026
At Seven Ways To Live, our mission has always been clear: meet people where they are, tell the truth about mental health, and equip communities with tools that actually save lives. This January, we are honored to partner with Youth Voices Matter, a program of The Cleveland Freedom Project, to deliver Youth Mental Health Crisis Training—a critical program designed to strengthen awareness, confidence, and response skills around youth mental health.
Youth today are navigating unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and isolation. While conversations around mental health are becoming more visible, many adults and community members still feel unprepared when a young person is struggling or in crisis. This training exists to change that, and the outcomes that affect families all over Cleveland
Why Youth Mental Health Crisis Training Matters
Mental health challenges don’t always look the way we expect them to. For young people, warning signs can show up as withdrawal, irritability, changes in behavior, academic struggles, or risk-taking. Too often, these signs are misunderstood or minimized until a crisis happens.
The Youth Mental Health Crisis Training focuses on prevention, early identification, and compassionate response. Participants learn how to recognize signs of distress in adolescents ages 12–18 and how to respond in a way that is supportive, trauma-informed, and appropriate. This curriculum and certification is developed by Seven Ways To Live, adapted from the nationally recognized training for Youth Mental Health First Aid, and adapted for students 12-18.
A Meaningful Partnership with Youth Voices Matter
Youth Voices Matter has long been committed to amplifying youth experiences and creating spaces where young people feel seen, heard, and supported. Partnering with them allows this program to be rooted not only in evidence-based practices, but also in lived experience and real-world insight.
Together, Seven Ways To Live and Youth Voices Matter are creating a learning environment that centers empathy, accountability, and practical skill-building. This collaboration reflects a shared belief: youth mental health is not just a “youth issue”—it is a community responsibility.
What the Training Covers
The Youth Mental Health Crisis Training provides participants with:
An overview of common mental health challenges affecting youth today
Clear warning signs of mental health crises, including suicide risk
Practical strategies for approaching difficult conversations with care and confidence
Guidance on how to respond during a mental health crisis
Tools to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviors
Resources and next steps for connecting youth to appropriate support
This Spring’s program will include a developmentally appropriate, watered-down version of the content shared with youth through Seven Ways To Live. This ensures young people receive information that is safe, accessible, and empowering—without overwhelming them and will provide support through the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s (CMSD) mental health team.
Learn More About The Program
This first enactment of Youth Mental Health Crisis Training is more than a program —it’s an investment in safer CMSD schools, stronger families, and more resilient communities. When adults feel equipped, and youth feel supported, the ripple effects are powerful.
We are grateful to Youth Voices Matter for their partnership and commitment to youth well-being. Together, we are creating pathways for honest conversations, early intervention, and hope. We look forward to walking alongside our community as we continue this important work—one conversation, one skill, and one life at a time.
