Description
The “Open the Corridors Program” was developed to dispel the negative myths adolescents have regarding mental health services. Kansas City Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program believed that we needed to give students a clearer picture of what treatment might entail, and, simultaneously, to improve the quality of the actual services available to students. We believe strongly that we have to help mental health services for suicidal adolescents be more strongly integrated with school needs than they often are now. Problems with waiting lists, stigmatizing practices, and insurance funding need to be minimized for these teenagers, and therapists who deal with suicidal adolescents need advanced training in the newest, evidence based methods of intervention Members of the Board of Directors of KCSAPP serve by appointment on the Governor’s Committee for Suicide Prevention in Kansas and Missouri.
Program Budget
100000
Category
Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs, General/other Suicide Prevention
Population Served
Adolescents Only (13-19 years)
Short-Term Success
The short termed success of the Open the Corridors program will be that adolescents will feel more competent in requesting help should they feel depressed or suicidal. Parents and other adults will have greater knowledge about adolescent suicide and how to appropriately assist teens in getting help if they are suicidal. The ease of accessing information and assistance should be greatly enhanced by removing the barriers that teens often perceive as present if they ask for help.
Long-Term Success
Education to raise the level of awareness of suicide for all stakeholders, begin to dispel the myths of seeking help for adolescents, provide evidence based therapy to local therapist, and begin to remove the barriers to services to children and adolescents. Develop website and collateral materials for information and education about suicide and how and where to go for immediate help.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success is monitored by the number of students, faculty, parents and community members who participate in educational sessions. Pre and post session assessments of knowledge and attitudes. The number of school districts that participate. Number of referrals to care. Number of hits on the website. Ultimate, a reduction in suicide rates. Adults and students will exhibit more knowledge about suicide and suicide prevention through pre and post tests. A survey given to adults supporting students and therapist treating suicidal students will report easier access for suicidal students. At least two new school districts implement the Open the Corridor Program. KCSAPP employs an information-driven coalition model, which was shown effective by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Fighting Back, Jelinski & Hern, 1991)
Examples of Program Success
Research and implementation with schools in Greater KC area and outlying areas
The “Open the Corridors Program” was developed to dispel the negative myths adolescents have regarding mental health services. Kansas City Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program believed that we needed to give students a clearer picture of what treatment might entail, and, simultaneously, to improve the quality of the actual services available to students. We believe strongly that we have to help mental health services for suicidal adolescents be more strongly integrated with school needs than they often are now. Problems with waiting lists, stigmatizing practices, and insurance funding need to be minimized for these teenagers, and therapists who deal with suicidal adolescents need advanced training in the newest, evidence based methods of intervention Members of the Board of Directors of KCSAPP serve by appointment on the Governor’s Committee for Suicide Prevention in Kansas and Missouri.
Program Budget
100000
Category
Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs, General/other Suicide Prevention
Population Served
Adolescents Only (13-19 years)
Short-Term Success
The short termed success of the Open the Corridors program will be that adolescents will feel more competent in requesting help should they feel depressed or suicidal. Parents and other adults will have greater knowledge about adolescent suicide and how to appropriately assist teens in getting help if they are suicidal. The ease of accessing information and assistance should be greatly enhanced by removing the barriers that teens often perceive as present if they ask for help.
Long-Term Success
Education to raise the level of awareness of suicide for all stakeholders, begin to dispel the myths of seeking help for adolescents, provide evidence based therapy to local therapist, and begin to remove the barriers to services to children and adolescents. Develop website and collateral materials for information and education about suicide and how and where to go for immediate help.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success is monitored by the number of students, faculty, parents and community members who participate in educational sessions. Pre and post session assessments of knowledge and attitudes. The number of school districts that participate. Number of referrals to care. Number of hits on the website. Ultimate, a reduction in suicide rates. Adults and students will exhibit more knowledge about suicide and suicide prevention through pre and post tests. A survey given to adults supporting students and therapist treating suicidal students will report easier access for suicidal students. At least two new school districts implement the Open the Corridor Program. KCSAPP employs an information-driven coalition model, which was shown effective by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Fighting Back, Jelinski & Hern, 1991)
Examples of Program Success
Research and implementation with schools in Greater KC area and outlying areas