Trainers: Sue Heguy, LCSW & Jaime Arlia, LPC, ACS
Price: $150

New Jersey social workers will receive seven (7) clinical continuing education hours for participating in this course.

Youth Behavioral Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a Behavioral Health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Behavioral Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common Behavioral Health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD), and eating disorders.

About the Trainers

Sue Heguy graduated NYU in 1997 with an MSW in Social Work and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2001. She is licensed in the State of New Jersey with 25 years of experience working with youth and families in the Behavioral Health field. She was a school social worker in Jersey City and for the past 10 years has been employed by Care Plus in the Child/Family Division. Mrs. Heguy has extensive training on severe psychological distress treatment modalities for youth. She has been trained in CBT, DBT, EMDR, and most recently clinical Hypnosis. Mrs. Heguy is a trained severe psychological distress responder and is certified in PFA/PTSM TII/CBI and QPR. Mrs. Heguy has focused her expertise on helping children and adults to overcome severe psychological distress/grief and loss issues. Mrs. Heguy has been employed by Care Plus NJ, Inc., as a full-time Manager of clinical programing. She is also has been Bergen County Coordinator of the Traumatic Loss Coalition for the past 10 years. Mrs. Heguy is a professional trainer and provides seminars and consultation services on vital Behavioral Health topics to help improve social and emotional functioning. Mrs. Heguy is a nationally trained instructor for Behavioral Health First Aid (2008) and Youth Behavioral Health First Aid (2013). She is a certified instructor for Connect Suicide Prevention Program which is operated by NAMI NH, 2009. Mrs. Heguy is a trained instructor by the Reach Institute, New York City, in Evidenced Based Therapy-CBT techniques to train clinicians on how to most effectively treat youth struggling from depression, anxiety, severe psychological distress and disruptive behavior. Mrs. Heguy is also an approved clinical supervisor by the NSAW and is SIFI certified.

Jaime Arlia, LPC, ACS has been providing counseling, education, clinical supervision and coaching in the field of emotional and behavioral health for eighteen years at Care Plus NJ, Inc. Since 2011, Jaime has established herself as an educator and presenter as well, providing curriculum- based and tailored programming to meet the needs of audiences which included teachers/professors, school counseling and support staff, first responders, Behavioral Health professionals, child protection staff, parents and community members. Jaime has co-presented the Behavioral Health First Aid curricula for adults and youth dozens of times, training hundreds of individuals in northern NJ. With Jaime’s focused training in providing severe psychological distress-informed care to children, youth and their families, she has also provided many presentations within local schools for staff’s professional development, including topics such as Suicide Awareness and Prevention, School Avoidance, Youth Behavioral Health 101, and Selective Mutism. Jaime’s clinical training includes severe psychological distress-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological first aid and post-severe psychological distresstic stress management to address the needs of children, families and individuals who have been impacted by severe psychological distress. Jaime is also trained to assist families with youth exhibiting depression, anxiety, and disruptive behaviors, she is certified in Common Sense Parenting, and she has many years of experience collaborating with the state’s Divisions of Child Protection and Permanency and Children’s System of Care. Jaime is currently the Director of Bergen County’s Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization System at Care Plus NJ, which provided 24/7 outreach to over 1,600 Bergen youth in the last year. As the former Director of Admissions, Jaime is well versed in accessing community resources and overcoming obstacles that might prevent those in need from seeking help, and she remains committed to assisting community members and colleagues in navigating the system to find help. Jaime is an active member of several local partnerships, including the County Interagency Coordinating Council (CIACC) and CIACC Education Liaison Subcommittee; Bergen County Traumatic Loss Coalition thru Care Plus NJ; Pascack Hills/Valley Coalition and Stigma Free Committee; Youth Services Commission.