BTheOne Teen Suicide Prevention Campaign

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2019

The Montgomery County Maryland BTheOne campaign (established in 2017) was the product of a collaborative effort between non-profit and government agencies in the county to address suicide, mental health concerns and substance use issues in the local teenage population. Initially, the collaboration called LACSI (Leading Adaptive Change for Suicide Intervention), created a web page on the county government site that contained information and resources for individuals seeking help, and distributed flyers to school, libraries, recreational centers, and county buildings. In 2018, the campaignexperienced a revitalization when the website and promotional materials were redesigned by members of the youth community to promote youth involvement in the direction of the program. The campaign website now contains links to digital posters for easy advertisement through social media pages and provides concrete ideas that youth can incorporate into their daily lives to develop support systems for those in need. A key component of the campaign is youth leadership, outreach and advocacy which is accomplished through the development of the website and public service announcements, and continued through its ambassador program.