Funded Projects

Find your Strengths. Youth Suicide Prevention.

Project Year

2024

City & State

Topsham, Maine

Program Name

CATCH Implementation

Topic

Mental Health (LHI)

Program Description

The problem: The unmet need for mental health resources and support  is too much for our local limited supply. Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) data 2023 shows continued increase in self reported symptoms of depression and Suicidal Intent which exceeds our community resources to manage in a direct and meaningful way. Brunswick High School students who felt sad/hopeless for two or more weeks increased significantly between 2015 and 2021, from 26% to 34% . Of those 34%, only 29% reported asking for help from an adult when they felt sad or hopeless. 16% of Brunswick middle school students have considered suicide at least once in their lifetime, and 15% of high school students in the past year. in addition  data shows us  that those who have a connection to suicide loss are more at risk for suicide themselves. -primary setting - Brunswick, Maine. Programming will take place in the Community room at my pediatric clinic or on site at the Brunswick Middle and High school. Our location will be flexible in response to the patient’s needs. Brunswick will be the primary site, but groups will not be restricted by the home district given our network of community partners who care for patients from surrounding districts . -number of children affected - Brunswick High School has just under 800 students. Brunswick Junior High has just under 500 enrolled. This grant would directly serve 4 groups of 10 students each in the first year.   -Project Goal - To create and implement small groups for those high risk students identified and referred through school counselors and our community partner programs. The groups will be strengths based suicide prevention. The framework of strengths based work informed by the Maine AAP blueprint for youth suicide and trauma informed practices will allow the creation of a unique curriculum for this at risk population. While there has been a recent  increase in ethnic diversity in Maine, poverty remains a key driver of our youth’s health outcomes and limited access to care A key goal is this project is identify gaps in care and provide direct services to those youth who are not able to access it otherwise. Including guardians/ caregivers in the small groups means we are also teaching the youth’s adults resiliency strategies to reinforce those practices at home. -proposed intervention - small group development and implementation 8 sessions including one parent session- will be a variety of interventions starting with a Clifton Strengths assessment the groups will include art, mindfulness, movement and other therapeutic interventions 12-14 female identifying 15-18 female identifying 12-14 male identifying 15-18 male identifying All participants will take the cliftons strengths assessment to inform individual activities   last session will include follow up assessments to measure self identified improvements  will use the AAP trauma echo series THREADS/ FRAYED framework learned in the AAP trauma echo  -anticipated outcomes - Participants will complete a pre and post PHQ- 9 / GAD-7 and survey to assess for increased awareness or knowledge of program content.  Participants and their guardians will report a measurable improvement in self report of both feeling sad/ hopeless in the past 2 weeks and Suicidal ideation as well as an ability to recognize their personal strengths. Our anticipated outcome is that participants and their guardians will self report increased confidence recognizing and utilizing their strengths to foster connection in community. 

Project Goal

Create and run successful small groups for referred local at risk youth  

Project Objective 1

Create a strength based, trauma informed 8 week course curriculum for youth aged 12-18. includes one parent/ guardian session 

Project Objective 2

Host small groups in the following format: -12-14 female identifying -15-18 female identifying -12-14 male identifying -15-18 male identifying

Project Objective 3

Document measurable improvements in  1. participants self report on feeling sad/ hopeless in the past 2 weeks 2. Self identified strengths / resiliency  

AAP District

District I

Institutional Name

Stellar Pediatrics

Contact 1

Alyssa Goodwin, MD