What is Hope Squad?
Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. Hope Squad members are nominated by their classmates as trustworthy peers and trained by advisors. The program reduces youth suicide through education, training, and peer intervention.
States & Canada
Schools
Hope Squad Members
Students Referred for Help
Hope Squad on
May, 2019
(Update: There are now over 1,600 Squads in 41 states and Canada)
Why Start a Hope Squad?
- Train staff and community members in youth suicide prevention through evidence-based training.
- Empower the natural helpers in your school through peer-to-peer suicide prevention training.
- Raise awareness of mental health and youth suicide prevention resources.
- Educate students on how to recognize suicide warning signs and respectfully report concerns.
- Train students how to support fellow students who may be struggling.
- Increase connectedness, inclusion, and social-emotional learning skills.
- Increase help-seeking behaviors.
- Reduce suicide attempts.
Hope Squad Helps
Nationally known for our ability to connect students with each other and to mental health resources, Hope Squad has a process that works on all levels for youth suicide prevention.
Prevention
School suicide prevention involves educating the school community and increasing mental health, connectedness, and resilience.
Intervention
Intervention involves recognizing when someone is at risk for suicide and referring the person to mental health resources.
Postvention
Postvention involves helping those affected by a suicide cope with the loss and reducing the risk of further suicides.
Hope Squad members strive to:
- Create a safe school environment
- Promote connectedness
- Support anti-bullying
- Encourage mental wellness
- Reduce mental health stigma
- Prevent substance misuse
Community Suicide Prevention
The impact of suicide is far-reaching and affects entire communities. When cities, mental health organizations, and schools work together for youth suicide prevention, the entire community is strengthened. We speak a common language—we are educated to understand warning signs and recognize who is at risk. We gain common understanding—we know how to intervene and what to do. We have common knowledge—we know how to access resources and where to go for help. Working together, there is HOPE that suicide can be prevented.
Click articles below to read more about Hope Squads
Quotes from our newly-trained advisors
