Project Grant H79SM087510

PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT AWARE INITIATIVE - THE PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT AWARE INITIATIVE WILL UTILIZE THE THREE-TIERED PUBLIC HEALTH MODEL TO EXPAND BOTH SUICIDE PREVENTION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS, TO DEVELOP A BETTER PATHWAY TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND SERVICES. THIS PROJECT HAS IDENTIFIED THREE KEY GOALS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH PENNSYLVANIA'S STATEWIDE SUICIDE PREVENTION PLAN. THESE GOALS INCLUDE: INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN ALL GRADES (K-12) TO PARTICIPATE IN SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING PROGRAMS, ENSURING SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING TOOLS AND PERSONNEL TRAINED TO ASSESS MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN STUDENTS, AND DEVELOPING AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO EXPAND REFERRAL PATHWAYS TO CONNECT SCHOOL-BASED PRACTITIONERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS WITH AVAILABLE CAPACITY TO SERVE NEW PATIENTS. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON CARBON, LEHIGH, LUZERNE, AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE REPLICABLE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE IN FUTURE YEARS. THE REGION SELECTED FOR THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS A DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT WITH 347,005 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 LIVING WITHIN THE REGION AND 47 INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC-SCHOOL DISTRICTS. ACCORDING TO THE 2021 PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SURVEY, APPROXIMATELY 1 IN 5 STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-12 REPORTED THAT THEY HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS. ADDITIONALLY, 1 IN 3 PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS REPORT NOT PROVIDING SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION TRAINING TO STUDENTS (ACCORDING TO A SEPTEMBER 2022 NEEDS ASSESSMENT). THE SAME NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROVIDED DATA TO DEMONSTRATE THAT MORE THAN 400 STUDENTS WERE AWAITING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES BECAUSE THE SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONAL COULD NOT FIND A SERVICE PROVIDER WITH AVAILABLE CAPACITY. THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO PROVIDE 50% OF THE K-12 STUDENTS WITHIN THE REGION WITH A RESEARCH-BASED SUICIDE-PREVENTION PROGRAM IN YEAR 1. THIS WILL INCREASE TO 75% IN YEAR 2 AND 90% IN YEAR 3. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO START 5 "I'VE GOT YOUR BACK" STUDENT CLUBS IN YEAR 1. THESE CLUBS ENCOURAGE STUDENT-LED EFFORTS TOWARDS SUICIDE PREVENTION WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS. THIS WILL INCREASE TO 10 CLUBS IN YEAR 2 AND 15 CLUBS IN YEAR 3. A KEY COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING TOOLS, AS WELL AS, PERSONNEL TRAINED TO UTILIZE THESE TOOLS. THEREFORE, THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO PROVIDE AT LEAST 75% OF THE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE REGION WITH THESE TOOLS AND TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO BUILD CAPACITY WITHIN THE SCHOOLS TO DELIVER THE SCREENINGS & ASSESSMENTS. GIVEN THAT PARENT INPUT IS ALSO VITAL TO SUPPORT POSITIVE STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH, THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A PARENT TASK FORCE IN EACH OF THE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS TO OBTAIN PARENT AND CAREGIVER FEEDBACK REGARDING THE SCREENING/ASSESSMENT TOOLS. FINALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL SEEK TO EXPAND THE EXISTING RESOURCE CONNECTS WEBSITE TO ADD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. THE GOAL WILL BE TO NOT ONLY ADD THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THESE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO THE SITE, BUT TO ALSO DEVELOP THE SITE AS A WAY FOR SCHOOL-BASED PROFESSIONALS TO SEEK OUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS. THIS WILL SUPPORT ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS THEY NEED IN A TIMELY MANNER.