Acadia Healthcare Partners with Jason Foundation to Combat Youth Suicide

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for individuals under 18. In response to this crisis, Acadia Healthcare has formed a nationwide partnership with The Jason Foundation to create community hubs for youth suicide prevention resources.

The Growing Crisis in Youth Mental Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report for 2013-2023 revealed disturbing statistics about youth mental health in America. In 2023, 40% of all high school students reported experiencing "persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness," while 20% seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9% made one or more suicide attempts.

Female students report significantly higher rates of persistent sadness or hopelessness (53%) compared to male students and are more likely to seriously consider suicide. Students who identify as LGBTQ+ are more than three times as likely to have seriously considered suicide compared to their cisgender, heterosexual peers.

The National Association for Behavioral Healthcare explains that young people requiring intensive mental health support "often have difficulty relating successfully to others at home and in school and are at risk of dropping out of school and/or becoming involved in the criminal justice system." This underscores why early intervention is critical not only for preventing suicide but also for addressing the broader life impacts of untreated mental health conditions.

The Triangle of Prevention Model

Central to The Jason Foundation's approach is what they call the "Triangle of Prevention," which connects students, parents, and teachers in coordinated efforts to recognize warning signs and secure professional help quickly. Research from The Jason Foundation indicates that 80% of teens who attempted suicide showed clear warning signs beforehand, highlighting the importance of education and awareness in prevention efforts.

These warning signs can include:

• Depression
• Sudden lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Changes in eating habits
• Declining academic performance

The Triangle model reflects the understanding that prevention is most effective when it involves multiple community stakeholders rather than relying solely on healthcare professionals.

Implementation Across the Acadia Healthcare Network

The partnership between the Jason Foundation and Acadia Healthcare establishes community resource centers within affiliated treatment facilities nationwide. These centers serve as hubs for educational materials and programming designed for healthcare staff, patients, families, and the broader community.

For Acadia Healthcare and its network of affiliates, which encompasses approximately 260 behavioral healthcare facilities across nearly 40 states and Puerto Rico, the partnership extends their reach beyond traditional treatment settings. While facilities within the network serve approximately 80,000 patients daily, the Jason Foundation partnership allows them to engage in preventive work that potentially reaches young people before they require clinical intervention.

Educational Programs

The Jason Foundation's programming includes specialized curricula for parents and educators, helping them identify when a young person is in emotional distress and might need professional support. These educational materials target various community stakeholders, including:

• Parents
• Teachers and school administrators
• Youth workers
• Healthcare professionals
• Coaches and athletic directors
• Community organizations
  
  

The Coaches Assistance Program

One distinctive aspect of the partnership is the Coaches Assistance Program, which focuses on training coaches to recognize suicide risk signs in young athletes. This approach leverages the existing relationships of trust many young people have with their coaches, who often occupy influential positions in students' lives but may not receive mental health training through traditional channels.

Athletic coaches frequently spend significant time with students and may notice behavioral changes that could indicate mental health struggles. The program equips these coaches with the knowledge to identify warning signs and the resources to connect young people with appropriate support.

The "A Friend Asks" Mobile App

Recognizing the central role of technology in young people's lives, the Jason Foundation created the "A Friend Asks" mobile app. This tool provides young people with immediate access to resources that can help them assist friends who might be contemplating suicide.

This technology component represents an important evolution in prevention strategies, meeting young people where they are, on their mobile devices, and empowering them to help peers in crisis.

Integration with Youth Treatment Services

The partnership complements Acadia Healthcare's existing services for children and adolescents, which include multiple levels of care from inpatient treatment to outpatient programs. The network offers age-appropriate care through various service lines:

• Inpatient treatment for acute symptoms
• Residential treatment for longer-term needs
• Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs)
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs)
• Traditional outpatient services

The Acadia Healthcare-Jason Foundation partnership represents one model for how healthcare facilities can integrate clinical treatment with community-based prevention. Partnerships between healthcare providers like affiliated facilities of Acadia Healthcare and prevention-focused organizations like The Jason Foundation acknowledge that addressing the complex factors contributing to youth suicide often requires multiple approaches. The integration of these various approaches offers a promising path forward.