Cincinnati, OH—Nancy Eigel-Miller, Executive Director of 1N5, presented Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with a check for $150,000. This is the final of payment of a three-year commitment to provide funding for CCHMC’s Adapting For Life program in area schools. Including this most recent payment, 1N5 has donated $763,000 to CCHMC to fund Adapting For Life. The program aims to educate young people and their families on the importance of suicide awareness and prevention as well as inform them on mental health so they can adapt and lead healthier lives.
During the 3 year period since 1N5 made the commitment to give CCHMC $450,000, the total number of local schools reached has gone from 22 to 67, with many of the 67 schools having multiple sessions. The students reached over these 3 years increased from 4,600 to 11,000. In addition, CCHMC, with 1N5’s funding, was able to increase the number of program facilitators from one to four.
The results of a student survey indicate that the program is a success. 82% of students rated the overall experience 4 or 5 (out of 5). The students’ view of mental health increased by 28% from the beginning to the end of the program. When asked if they would know what to do in the event someone needed help, the students responding that they would know what to do and that they would take action increased by 21% from the beginning of the program to the completion.
As part of the program, students received experience journals and ADAPT posters were installed around the schools. Both were popular with the students and staff and worked to foster mental health and suicide awareness.
1N5 works with local schools to promote optimal mental health for youth through stigma reduction and customized, evidence-based education so that we can live in a world without suicide. This is done through school assessments and climate surveys. Then, in partnership with the school, 1N5 works to create a programming plan to address the specific needs of each school. 1N5 is currently working in 41 schools and all five local universities. To enlist the voice of local youth, 1N5 has 9 college interns and 12 brand ambassadors along with the Youth Council for Suicide Prevention, 20 students from area high schools who work to address the growing epidemic of youth mental illness.
