Sullivan 180 Launches New Youth Mental Health Initiative
Sullivan 180, with support from the New York State Office of Mental Health, is hosting a three-year pilot of the Hope Squad program with Fallsburg and Eldred districts at a middle and high school level. Hope Squad is an evidence-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention program built around the power of connection. The program is based on key prevention strategies that reduce the risk of suicide in youth. Students are nominated by their peers to become Hope Squad members and to learn about mental health from a trained advisor while performing intentional outreach to struggling peers. Staff Hope Squad advisors and student Hope Squad members will work to create active Hope Squads in their schools.
“Peer support makes it more likely for young people to reach out for help when needed,” said Mylene Ortiz, Sullivan 180 Youth Mental Health Program Manager.
SHAPE: School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation System is a free web-based platform that allows school districts to assess their mental health programs and resources on both a district and building level. SHAPE provides a private workspace that schools can utilize to evaluate and improve the quality of mental health services and supports that are available while discovering new resources that can benefit our youth. Fallsburg and Eldred will be participating in SHAPE at the middle and high school levels. Sullivan West will participate at a district level.