Grant Us Hope
4010 Executive Park Drive, Suite 115
Cincinnati, OH 45241
Hope Squad Expansion - Saving Young Lives, Together
Grant Application:
Hope Squad is a highly effective peer-to-peer youth suicide prevention program with multi-year, evidence-based curriculum that equips young people with the skills they need to identify their classmates who might be struggling, empathetically communicate with them, and connect them to trusted adults who can get them the help they need before it's too late. Additionally, Hope Squads address the root causes of suicide by fostering a sense of belonging, informing classmates about mental health and reducing associated stigma, and creating a safe environment for students to get help.
The goal of the project was to implement the Hope Squad program in 5 additional Greater Cincinnati Schools and a subsidized rate. This entails identifying and training advisors in suicide prevention/crisis intervention, identifying and training Hope Squad students in the mental health and suicide prevention curriculum and facilitating the implementation of the program throughout the schools.
Grant Evaluation Report:
The program has been highly successful at the schools thus far, and we anticipate continued success. However, as previously stated, the program timeline has had to be pushed back.
The program was, indeed, implemented at five schools, thanks to the support of the Dater Foundation. Those schools included: Evendale Elementary School, Woodlawn Elementary School, Glendale Elementary School, Springdale Elementary, Lincloln Elementary and Norwood Middle School. Advisors were trained in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) which is the nationally recognized, evidence-based crisis intervention curriculum at the core of Hope Squad's curriculum. Schools have identified Hope Squad members, conducted training with school staff and students and orientation with parents. Hope Squads have begun implementing curriculum to promote mental health and reduce suicide risk.
We focused primarily on elementary schools for this grant, because the rate of suicide even among 3rd to 6th graders is growing at an alarming rate. The curriculum for Hope Squad members in this age group is less focused on suicide directly and more focused on the behaviors that can lead to suicide: bullying, loneliness, being a good friend, etc.. They are also taught to normalize mental health concerns - reducing the chance of stigma before it starts.
Website:
http://www.grantushope.org Amount: $25,000
Date: June 2022
