The Shuchart Foundation for Mental Health Awareness, and the Karen and Steve Arkin foundation SPEAKUP, are collaborating to end the stigma associated with mental illness and to reduce the incidences of suicides among young people. This new organization will be called the SPEAKUP Foundation for Mental Health Awareness, and will visit middle and high schools throughout the region, teaching students what mental illness is, what it looks like, and most importantly, what to do about it.
SPEAKUP will also introduce a smartphone app that allows students to input their observations about themselves and others with the information immediately transferred to a school administrator, who will then meet in private with the student reporting the incident. From there, and with assistance from the application, the administrator and student can determine what actions to take to best help the affected students.
John Shuchart addresses students at Missouri State University.
In addition to the high school program, The Shuchart Foundation has partnered with the on-campus Active Minds chapters at several universities to speak out against the stigma attached to mental illness, and the tragic loss of life from student suicides. John Shuchart and Jonathan Freiden continue to share their personal stories about managing depression, and the need to end the stigma, with student groups across the region.
Contact us to learn more about our school programs at jim@theshuchartfoundation.org.