YAM is brought to Fannin County in partnership with the UT Southwestern Center for Depression Care and Clinical Research. YAM brings different learning methods together with the fundamental components of the program being as follows: five interactive sessions, role-playing, informational reading materials and posters for display in the classroom. YAM encourages the development of a large set of skills and knowledge about mental health. The YAM materials are designed to convey information about mental health, coping skills and emotional intelligence to adolescents, while at once not overwhelming them with complicated information, and allowing each participating group to influence the content. The adolescents learn from both a professional and from each other through a mix of cognitive, emotional and experiential learning.
The YAM program includes education on the following themes:
1) Awareness about mental health
2) Self-help advice
3) Stress and crisis
4) Depression and suicidal thoughts
5) Helping a troubled friend
6) Getting advice: who to contact