Emily Steinberg, Author at Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation

Written by Tony Coder, Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, CEO

Paul was working for a construction company when a foreman died by suicide. The foreman was the kind of person everyone liked working with. The one who checked in on people, made work feel manageable, and had your back when things got hard.

When he died, the shock was overwhelming. The team didn’t just lose a coworker; they lost their brother. Paul watched as grief moved through the workplace in real time, affecting morale, focus, and the sense of safety people felt coming to work each day.

His company was like many other construction companies at the time that did not have a postvention plan in place. There was no policy, no training, and no clear guidance for how leaders should respond. Managers were expected to support their teams while processing their own grief and keeping operations moving forward. Everyone was doing their best, but they were doing it without a roadmap.

The hard truth is that people do not simply bounce back after a loss like this. Grief does not follow a timeline, and its effects ripple through the workplace, touching every team member, including leaders who must navigate their own grief while guiding others.

If you’re reading this and you believe this couldn’t happen at your company, the reality is it could.

Stories like this are often treated as isolated tragedies, but they point to a broader workplace reality, one shaped by the pressures employees carry to work and the growing responsibility employers have to respond.

Mental Health Is a Business Imperative

Mental health is central to workforce reliability, productivity, retention, and a company’s ability to compete.

Untreated mental health challenges impact employers and the economy nationwide, driving lost productivity and increased costs across industries. In Ohio alone, a 2025 study by the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers estimates the annual economic impact at nearly $300 billion. Workers with mild, untreated mental illness miss an average of 9.3 hours of work per week, and employees with depression miss an average of 4.8 workdays every three months, along with an additional 11.5 days of reduced productivity.

Evidence shows that when people can access mental health treatment, both individuals and organizations benefit. For every $1 associated with mental health care, employers see an estimated $4 return, and treatment access has been linked to increases in employment and workforce participation of up to 42%.

Organizations that prioritize mental health tend to see stronger leadership effectiveness, a more resilient employer brand, and higher retention. In a competitive labor market, mental wellness is increasingly part of how candidates evaluate where they want to work. When mental health is not addressed as part of a workforce strategy, it becomes a clear operational risk.

When Personal Struggles Show Up at Work

The average person spends roughly one-third of their life at work, and employees don’t leave personal challenges at the door. Family stress, financial pressure, caregiving responsibilities, and mental health concerns often follow them into the workplace. Parents may miss work to care for children experiencing mental health challenges, and coworkers carry the emotional strain when someone on their team is struggling.

Suicide adds an even deeper layer of impact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide disproportionately affects men, who account for nearly 80% of all suicide deaths in the United States. Research from the University of Kentucky estimates that each suicide death affects about 135 people, including coworkers, friends, and family. Teams often feel the effects of changes in morale, safety, and productivity.

In many workplaces, managers become first responders without training or clear guidance. Dave Rife, Chief Manufacturing Officer at White Castle, whose son died by suicide, has emphasized the need to reframe mental illness in the workplace: “Mental illness is no different than any other disease. We need to understand it, embrace it as we have with cancer, and respond in ways that allow people to talk openly without fear of being labeled.”

Supporting Employees Before a Crisis

Research shows that when people experiencing suicidal thoughts have the chance to talk openly, they often feel relief and are more likely to seek help. Employers play a key role in creating conditions for those conversations.

Training is a practical starting point. Programs such as QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), VitalCog, and ASIST equip employees and managers to recognize warning signs and respond with confidence.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is piloting a workplace mental health program with AEP Ohio, an American Electric Power subsidiary that employs 1,430 Ohioans, more than 90% of whom work in operations roles, including lineworkers, engineers, assessors, and others who respond to power outages and help prevent them. These are difficult positions, and we aim to challenge outdated norms and demonstrate that caring about mental health is a sign of leadership, not weakness. In a pre-pilot survey of 300 AEP Ohio employees, more than half said workload can have a positive or negative effect on their mental health, highlighting the influence workplace conditions have on well-being, especially for jobs that bring people into the field and into direct contact with the public.

Policies and benefits also matter. Mental health coverage should be on par with physical health coverage. Employee Assistance Programs should be visible and promoted year-round. For workplaces without an EAP, awareness and education about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline should be part of the business culture.

Culture is built through everyday actions. Lunch-and-learns, educational resources, and visible crisis information help normalize help-seeking. Organizational assessments can reveal whether a workplace truly supports mental health or simply talks about it.

Leadership sets the tone, and when leaders act with empathy and consistency, they send a clear message that employees’ well-being matters, making it more likely that employees will seek support early, before a situation escalates into a crisis.

For organizations looking to take the next step, the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation offers training, materials, and resources to help strengthen workplace mental health strategies and support teams. Explore the Mental Health in the Workplace: Employer Toolkit to get started.

Mental Health Is a Leadership Responsibility

Mental health is at the heart of how work gets done. It influences reliability, productivity, and a company’s ability to succeed. When it is overlooked, the effects are wide-ranging, including safety risks, absenteeism, turnover, and, above all, the profound loss of friends, family members, and coworkers. Prioritizing mental health nurtures stronger teams and more resilient workplaces.

These challenges are immediate and real. Leaders do not need to be clinicians, but they do need to recognize mental health as part of the environment they shape. They have a profound opportunity to be someone their teams can turn to on their hardest days.

Change does not require sweeping reforms. Training, supportive policies, and empathetic leadership set the tone and make it safe for employees to seek help before a crisis occurs. A mentally healthy workplace is achievable, essential, and ultimately, a responsibility that cannot be ignored.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation’s (OSPF) Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has selected 10 youth-led suicide prevention initiatives to receive a total of nearly $10,000 in grant funding.

YAC members recently met in Columbus to review applications for youth-led grants. Funding was available to support Ohio middle schools, junior high schools, and high school students who are leading evidence-informed or evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health initiatives in their schools and communities.

YAC has welcomed three new members, bringing the total to 21 high school students from across Ohio. The new members are:

Subham Dahal, Walnut Hills High School, Cincinnati
Ben Kurian, Olentangy Liberty High School, Powell
Eric Liu, Indian Hill High School, Cincinnati

“The Youth Advisory Council plays a vital role in elevating ideas created by young people, for young people,” said OSPF CEO Tony Coder. “It’s exciting to see members thoughtfully select youth-led projects and empower the next generation of leaders who are actively shaping the future of suicide prevention.”

The programs selected by YAC to receive funding are:

County: Cuyahoga
Organization: Cuyahoga Falls High School
Youth-led program: Sources of Strength
Project summary:
The “Mentor Madness” campaign will invite students to recognize their trusted adults through activities led by Peer Leaders, who will share nominations via video announcements and social media. The campaign culminates in a school assembly with games, a “GOAT Mentor” (Greatest of All Time) award, and the distribution of mental health resources.
Award amount: $750

County: Cuyahoga
Organization: Fairview Park City School District
Youth-led program: Sources of Strength
Project summary:
The “Pawsitive Difference” program will bring a therapy dog to the middle and high schools. Grant funds will cover training and exam costs as well as supplies for the therapy dog while at school. Adult Advisor Mrs. Janice Frygier will be the therapy dog’s owner, and Peer Leaders will be program ambassadors.
Award amount: $968

County: Franklin
Organization: Ohio Hispanic Coalition
Youth-led program: Juventud en Acción
Project summary:
The youth-led, two-part series will include the “Soy Fuerte” (I Am Strong) Workshop to reduce stigma and teach coping skills like stress management and journaling. It will be followed by a bilingual Community & Culture Night that brings families together through youth storytelling and art, strengthening family connectedness and supporting youth mental health.
Award amount: $1,000

County: Geauga
Organization: Berkshire Local School District
Youth-led program: Sources of Strength
Project summary:
Hosting the Second Annual WORK the WHEEL Wellness Fair for 7th- and 8th-grade students. The fair will bring in community-based partners that represent each of Sources of Strength’s eight protective factors. In addition, peer-led activities will promote student well-being and connectivity.
Award amount: $1,000

County: Guernsey
Organization: SOCC Foundation
Youth-led program: Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Project summary:
Establish a SADD chapter at Buckeye Trail High School to empower students to promote healthy choices and positive peer influence. Grant funds will also support the school’s spring suicide prevention activities, including promoting 988.
Award amount: $1,000

County: Huron
Organization: South Central Middle School
Youth-led program: Sources of Strength
Project summary:
Implement “Unlock Your Strengths,” an interactive program designed to reduce isolation, encourage help-seeking, and strengthen protective factors that support youth mental health and suicide prevention. Through guided activities and problem-solving challenges, students engage with the eight Sources of Strength in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Award amount: $900

County: Lawrence
Organization: Necco Community Behavioral Health
Youth-led program: School-Based Community Behavioral Health
Project summary:
In collaboration with high school student leaders, Necco will offer a two-part suicide prevention and mental health education series using the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program for interested students at Collins Career Center and Chesapeake High School.
Award amount: $1,000

County: Lawrence
Organization: Tiffin Columbian High School
Youth-led program: SADD
Project summary:
SADD members will host their “Face the Storm” mental health awareness campaign for middle and high schools during the first week of May, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month.
Award amount: $1,000

County: Meigs
Organization: Eastern Local School District
Youth-led program: Student Health Council
Project summary:
Students will host a Sources of Strength campaign titled, “Eagles Rise Together: Connection Is Prevention.” Youth will engage students in grades 6-12 to identify positive coping mechanisms, trusted adults, and opportunities to improve their sense of belonging at their school. The campaign will launch in the first week of May to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.
Award amount: $950

County: Scioto
Organization: Sciotoville Community School
Youth-led program: Sources of Strength
Project summary:
Funds will be used to create a student space with tools and supplies to help students manage stress, build self-control, and stay focused. The space will support programming such as practical skill-building workshops, peer encouragement, and small group sessions that promote resilience, personal responsibility, and positive decision-making.
Award amount: $1,000

Projects must be completed by June 30, 2026. OSPF and the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health provide funding and support for the grants.

The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is proud to announce that Mamta Bajgain, project coordinator, has been named a 2025 Beacon Award honoree by the Ellis Island Honors Society. The 4th Annual Beacon Awards were presented Jan. 23, 2025, in New York City, recognizing young leaders living and working in America who demonstrate exceptional vision, innovation, and humanitarian commitment to making the world a more equitable, compassionate, and humane place.

For Mamta, the recognition reflects years of work building culturally responsive programs for Ohio’s Bhutanese Nepali community and others, where stigma and limited access to resources have long stood as barriers to mental health support.

“I’ve tried to create programs that meet real needs, connect families to resources, and support youth in finding their voice,” she said when asked what she believed led to her selection. “My work touches on vision, innovation, and humanitarian impact, but what matters most to me is the humanitarian side. I focus on supporting refugee and immigrant families, helping improve wellbeing, reduce stigma, and create spaces where people feel truly seen, supported, and connected.”

Building Safe Spaces Across Ohio

Among Mamta’s most impactful initiatives are the Bhutanese Nepali Suicide Prevention Listening Sessions she coordinated in spring 2024 across the state. The sessions brought together community members to share their lived experiences with mental health, something she described as transformative for participants and organizers alike.

“Seeing people break the stigma and openly talk about their lived experiences was incredibly powerful,” she said. “It showed how creating safe, culturally responsive spaces can foster connection, understanding, and healing within our communities.”

Her dedication is reflected in her daily work at OSPF, where she prioritizes listening, builds programs grounded in lived experience, helps young people step into leadership, and works to ensure mental health resources are accessible to those who need them most.

A Journey Rooted in Resilience

The Beacon Awards, presented by the Ellis Island Honors Society, celebrate the importance of immigration to America’s prosperity and honor individuals whose immigrant roots have shaped their sense of purpose and responsibility. For Mamta, that connection is deeply personal.

“My immigrant heritage has shaped how I see the world and my responsibility to others,” she said. “Coming here as a refugee, I experienced the challenges of adapting to a new culture, navigating unfamiliar systems, and trying to find a sense of belonging. If it weren’t for the compassionate people who helped my family when we arrived, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Their support showed me how much a single person or community can make a difference.”

Those early experiences directly inform her approach to leadership. “My approach to leadership and service comes from my journey as a refugee and the values my family instilled in me: resilience, empathy, and the importance of lifting others as you rise,” she said. “Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about showing up for your community and helping others thrive.”

Recognition on a National Stage

At the ceremony in New York City, Mamta joined honorees from across the country, each recognized for their work in fields ranging from technology to the arts to civic leadership. She said what struck her most was what the honorees had in common.

“Being recognized at the Beacon Award Ceremony alongside other young leaders from across the country was both inspiring and humbling,” she said. “What stood out most to me was the compassion everyone brought to their work, no matter the industry or focus.”

A Message for the Next Generation

When asked what advice she would give to other young professionals who want to lead with purpose, her answer was clear.

“Know your ‘why’, stick to it, and surround yourself with people who lift you up,” she said. “Don’t let where you come from limit what you can accomplish. Your background can shape you, but it doesn’t define what you’re capable of.”

February 3, 2026, 10:00 A.M. ET

The following statement is attributed to OSPF CEO Tony Coder:

Chair Claggett, Vice Chair Workman, Ranking Member Mohamed, and members of the House Technology and Innovation Committee, thank you for allowing me to testify as a proponent of House Bill 524. My name is Tony Coder, and I am the CEO of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. I am grateful to Representatives Mathews and Cockley for introducing this bill, as we are beginning to see more examples of young people and even some adults utilizing AI and AI chatbots for therapy and mental-health care, and we are now beginning to see some suicides where AI has played a part.

The latest official report from the Ohio Department of Health saw 1,777 people dying by suicide in 2023 –nearly five people every day. In addition, the ODH Ohio Emergency Department Suspected Self-Directed Summary report that gives suicide attempt and suicide ideation data from Ohio’s emergency report shows that approximately 25-30 people are seen every day in Ohio’s emergency rooms with a suicide attempt, Nearly 81% of our suicide deaths are adult men, but suicides by young people continues to be one of the leading causes of death for young people, with suicide being the second-leading cause of death for children ages 10-14.

Over the past decade, youth mental health has been declining. Since COVID, Johns Hopkins Hospital researchers have shown that depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts have significantly increased in the COVID and the post-COVID period. In Ohio, a child dies by suicide every 36 hours. That number did decrease slightly from 2022 to 2023, and, through investments that you have made in suicide prevention, even though more youth are struggling with mental health, we have also seen more youth access 988. The stigma around talking about suicide is decreasing for young people, and we are discussing it more, and we are seeing that decrease in youth suicides.

However, with all of these positive pieces that we are building in Ohio to continue to bring the youth suicide numbers down, we continue to see many outside influences to youth suicide outside of brain health. Social media and internet-related issues continue to drive up rates of mental health problems for teens. Problem gambling is now the #1 addiction related to suicides (young adults with gambling problems have a four times higher risk of suicide attempts compared to peers). Now, we have AI, and we are beginning to see AI being utilized by children, and we are hearing more anecdotes about AI’s influence on some children in their suicide.

I want to be clear, OSPF is not anti-technology or anti-AI. We do believe and support advances in technology that could, with some imagination, do amazing things that could impact society in positive ways. But, we also must protect children from the consequences, especially as youth develop relationships with AI chatbots and put their trust in these entities.

A Common Sense Media report released in 2025 found widespread use of AI companions, with 72% of teens having tried an AI companion at least once, and 52% of youth using AI companions on a regular basis.¹ AI companions were also far less likely to provide appropriate mental health referrals, with AI companions responding with an appropriate referral for a teen mental health crisis only 22% of the time. We are also concerned about privacy and youth data with AI companions, and we have just signed a letter of support for HR 6291 (Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act) by Republican Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg to help strengthen youth data protections nationally.

In research authored by Dr. Laurie O. Campbell from the University of CentralFlorida, she states, “Adolescents have been induced to die by suicide through conversations with AI. In October 2024, a 14-year-old began communicating frequently with an AI chatbot on Character.AI (Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas). The communication included messages that were sexually explicit and may have been attributed to the teen withdrawing from his family and believing the AI chatbot was real. Ultimately, following encouragement from the chatbot, the teen completed suicide.”_²

I speak with parents multiple days of the week about a child’s suicide. Just last Thursday, I spoke with a mother of a teenage boy whose son died by suicide. She told me that he had been struggling with mental health issues, but she thought he had turned a corner. She told me that one evening, he messaged his mom with, as she put it, a pretty arbitrary message of “I love you,
mom,” which she didn’t seem too concerned about and responded, “I love you too.” Her son had been driving around town, but a friend called the mother and said that they were concerned about her son in a message that they received. Like a lot of parents today, she had a tracking feature on his phone and drove to where her son was and found that he had died by suicide. She said that she went through his phone a few days later and found the last message that he wrote to a friend about his struggles he was secretly having, and his friend responded, as a teenage boy might, “You just need to man up, boy.” That was the last message that her son received. I tell that story not because AI was responsible, but instead that if people aren’t getting appropriate messages of support, whether from a human friend or an AI companion, the consequences can be devastating. People who are struggling with suicidal thoughts need the most thoughtful care, not an AI companion to validate their thoughts of dying. If that happens, the chances of saving that young person might be almost nil.

I am asking this committee to support HB524 before we have more stories like those where children are encouraged by AI companions to end their lives. I am grateful to Representatives Mathews and Cockley for their foresight and attention to Ohio’s kids so that we can reduce the number of suicides of Ohio youth.

¹https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/talk-trust-and-trade-offs-how-and-why-teens-use-ai-companions
²https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12371289/

COLUMBUS (OH) – The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) announced today grant funding awards to 22 youth-led programs across Ohio to support evidence-informed suicide prevention and mental health initiatives.

The funding, totaling more than $80,000, will be distributed to organizations for projects that include training youth leaders to implement wellness campaigns that encourage help-seeking and positive coping strategies among peers, youth town halls to engage local leaders and raise awareness about improving mental health resources and prevention efforts in their communities, and a youth summit where high school students will mentor middle schoolers on the effects of violence on mental health and teach coping strategies.

“It is exciting to see what these youth-led programs will be doing,” OSPF CEO Tony Coder said. “When young people are empowered to create a culture of mental health awareness and advocacy, they will have a lasting impact on their communities.”

The Ohio Department of Behavioral Health is providing funding to support best-practice suicide prevention activities planned and completed by youth-led programs at the following organizations:

County: Butler

Organization: AXIS Teen Centers DBA EDGE Teen Services

Award Amount: $500

Summary: Partnering with 1N5 and Focus on Youth, EDGE equips peer leaders to plan and lead campaigns that encourage help-seeking, connection, and positive coping strategies. With funding from OSPF, up to 30 youth leaders will be trained and supported to implement monthly wellness campaigns at both EDGE sites in the 2025–26 school year. The program aims to ensure all participating teens feel supported, identify safe adults, and gain the skills and confidence to manage life’s challenges.

County: Butler

Organization: Envision Partnerships

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: Agents of Change is a youth-led council in Butler County made up of high school students committed to transforming their communities through advocacy, education, and prevention. With support from OSPF, Agents of Change will host two additional Youth Town Halls in Hamilton and Fairfield, providing a platform for youth to educate and engage local leaders on improving mental health resources and prevention efforts. These events will combine education, data sharing, and storytelling to reduce stigma and encourage schools and policymakers to take meaningful action.

County: Clark

Organization: Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene, and Madison Counties

Award Amount: $7,000

Summary: Bringing Awareness to Students (BATS) is a youth-led prevention program under the Mental Health Recovery Board of Clark, Greene, and Madison Counties, founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to address youth mental health through the arts. With OSPF funding, BATS will host the Be the Change Youth Summit: Hurt People Hurt People at Wittenberg University in November 2025, led by high school students for Clark County middle schoolers. The summit will explore how violence impacts mental health, teach coping strategies for anxiety and depression, and train youth to collect and present data for school-based prevention projects.

County: Clermont

Organization: Coalition for a Drug Free Clermont County

Award Amount: $1,500

Summary: The Bethel-Tate Student Wellness Committee, founded in 2025 by a student leader and supported by the Coalition for a Drug-Free Clermont County, empowers students to promote substance use prevention, mental health, and suicide prevention at Bethel-Tate High School. Recognizing the region’s high rates of suicide, poverty, and limited access to mental health resources, the group seeks funding to renovate and expand the school’s Wellness Room. The project will provide essential hygiene items, comfortable furniture, plants, sensory tools, and calming décor to create a restorative space for students coping with stress and anxiety. Funds will also support promotional efforts and a community launch event to increase awareness and student engagement with the room.

County: Cuyahoga

Organization: 1,000 Ties

Award Amount: $7,000

Summary: Seven trained Ambassadors ages 15–24, guided by COO Trayvon Porter, will lead six monthly workshops at the Harvard and Lee Library on emotional etiquette, healthy relationships, coping skills, and career exploration. The project will serve 20 boys ages 8–12 in the 1,000 Ties Jr. program, providing consistent mentorship and structured life skills development. Grounded in evidence-based research, the program aims to reduce isolation, promote mental health awareness, and strengthen emotional well-being and protective factors that lower suicide risk.

County: Cuyahoga

Organization: Removing The Stigma

Award Amount: $4,000

Summary: Youth Life CLE (YLC), founded in 2024 by Removing The Stigma, is a youth-focused prevention program to build resilience, foster hope, and promote independence among young people. With funding support, YLC’s Youth Leadership Team will host after-school activities every Tuesday and Thursday for the 2025-2026 school year, to include: interactive workshops, art projects, role-playing, and short films about bullying experiences, designed to build empathy, social-emotional skills, and peer support. Sessions are held after school over six to seven weeks, concluding with a celebratory event where participants showcase their advocacy and creative work.

County: Delaware

Organization: HelpLine of Delaware and Morrow Counties, Inc.

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: The Delaware County Youth-Led Council (DC-YLC), founded in 2024, empowers high school students to lead initiatives that promote mental health, reduce stigma, and address community wellness issues. For 2025–26, the DC-YLC plans to create a digital Wellness Hub that consolidates youth-friendly mental health and wellness resources, accessible via QR codes on promotional rack cards distributed in schools. They will also produce a peer-led podcast and video series on topics such as stress management, coping skills, and healthy relationships to normalize conversations about mental health.

County: Fairfield/Franklin

Organization: Canal Winchester High School

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: The HOPE Squad at Canal Winchester High School, founded in 2023, is a student-led, peer-to-peer suicide prevention initiative that promotes a culture of compassion, trust, and mental wellness within the school. With support from OSPF, the program will expand its reach through monthly HOPE Days, a lunchroom music and speaker system, visible signage of support, and the creation of calming corners in classrooms and common areas. The project also includes therapy dog visits to reduce stress and foster connection among students.

County: Franklin

Organization: Black Girl Rising, Inc.

Award Amount: $6,200

Summary: Black Girl Rising, Inc. will implement two youth-led projects at Cristo Rey Columbus High School: the Affirmation Box & Book Project and the Mental Health Box Project. The Affirmation Box initiative will encourage students to share positive messages, which will later be compiled into a Book of Affirmations for Black Girls. The Mental Health Box Project will allow girls to create personalized self-care kits with stress management and emotional wellness tools.

County: Franklin

Organization: ArkBuilders

Award Amount: $5,000

Summary: Friday Night Hoops is a youth-led program based in Columbus, Ohio. It aims to reduce gun violence and prevent suicide among Somali Bantu and underserved youth by fostering connection and resilience through weekly basketball nights and creative activities. With funding from OSPF, the program will host weekly events featuring basketball, creative coping stations, peer-led workshops, mental health resource tables, and a youth ambassador program with leadership training and stipends.

County: Franklin

Organization: ArkBuilders – Reynoldsburg High School Summit Campus

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: This program, led by Arkbuilders and NAMI of Franklin County, aims to address the mental health crisis among teens in the Reynoldsburg City School District through the Strategic Prevention Framework. The Leaders In Training (LIT) program, now in its third year, trains high school students to become peer leaders, using the 7 Mindsets curriculum to facilitate mental health conversations and model constructive engagement with peers. The project targets issues such as stigma, isolation, trauma, and stress, which contribute to high rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts among students, particularly in marginalized populations. Funded activities include youth-led activities such as Chat N Chew, Raider PEP, Livingston Live, Ending the Silence, Mental Health First Aid, and Sources of Strength, all designed to build resilience, awareness, and early intervention skills.

County: Franklin

Organization: CompDrug/DBA Youth to Youth International

Award Amount: $5,000

Summary: Youth to Youth International (Y2Y) empowers middle and high school students to live drug-free, support positive mental health, and lead prevention efforts in their communities. Through its Youth Advisory Board, Y2Y will launch a youth-led initiative focused on building resiliency as a protective factor for suicide prevention. The project will include a teen-produced video, a large group presentation, and interactive breakout sessions where students learn coping skills, mindfulness techniques, and ways to support peers. A pilot event will take place in February 2026, with a full-scale presentation at the Youth to Youth International Summer Conference in July 2026, reaching hundreds of teens across Ohio and beyond.

County: Franklin

Organization: Help For Homelessness and Beyond Inc.

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: Help for Homelessness and Beyond Inc. (HHB) promotes awareness and prevention around domestic violence, bullying, homelessness, literacy, and mental health. Their new youth-led initiative, “I Love Myself More,” is a weekly podcast and live-streamed discussion series for youth ages 14–24 that focuses on self-worth, resilience, and suicide prevention. Each episode features a youth panel and adult moderator facilitating open conversations that build confidence, communication skills, and social connection while reducing feelings of isolation. The program will run from October 2025 to March 2026, concluding with a community Youth Sock Hop to celebrate participants and strengthen peer networks.

County: Franklin

Organization: South of Main Futures

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: South of Main Futures, founded in 2020, is a youth-led prevention program serving at-risk and underserved youth on Columbus’s South Side, focusing on mental health, resilience, and life skills through trauma-informed, holistic approaches. With funding, the organization will implement the Reality Check project, offering workshops on digital safety, cyberbullying, coping skills, emotional regulation, body positivity, safe content creation, and peer-led mentorship. Youth participants will engage in creative projects such as video interviews, podcasts, and a Youth Showcase event, fostering resilience, self-expression, and positive peer connections.

County: Franklin

Organization: Urban Rhythms For Resilience in Partnership with ArkBuilders Inc.

Award Amount: $2,500

Summary: Mind Over Matter is a youth-led mental wellness initiative in Linden, Columbus, led by Urban Rhythms for Resilience in partnership with ArkBuilders Inc., aimed at promoting emotional resilience, social-emotional growth, and community connection through creative expression and culturally responsive programming. The program addresses critical issues such as youth exposure to violence, food insecurity, bullying, and unstable home environments, which contribute to emotional distress, aggression, and increased risk of self-harm. Activities include youth-led educational materials on hunger, mental health, and non-violent conflict resolution, food distribution campaigns, workshops, social media initiatives, and collaborative engagement with local schools, food banks, and recreation centers.

County: Hamilton

Organization: The Young CEO Program

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: The Young CEO ‘Breathe, Relax, Recover’ initiative, launched in 2024, addresses rising suicide risk among Black teens by combining culturally competent mental health support, mentorship, workforce development, and youth-led media to strengthen protective factors and resilience. The program’s components include mobile “Resilience Circles” on the Young CEO bus, crisis awareness and gatekeeper training, peer ambassador programs, youth-created podcasts and social media campaigns, and family and community engagement workshops. It integrates firearm safety education to reduce access to lethal means, connects youth with trusted mentors and community leaders, and fosters safe, culturally responsive spaces for open dialogue. Year-one activities include training staff and mentors, launching weekly resilience circles, recording youth podcasts, developing media campaigns, evaluating progress via surveys, and hosting a community summit with a youth-led “Resilience Report.”

County: Jackson

Organization: Christian Life Academy

Award Amount: $2,500

Summary: Founded in December 2024, the Christian Life Academy (CLA) Youth-Led Prevention Group began with two students inspired by a regional summit to improve their school culture through kindness and inclusion. The group has grown to 24 members from grades 6 to 10 who are passionate about addressing key youth issues such as vaping, screen time, social isolation, and the importance of friendship and unity. With OSPF funding, the group plans to host a day-long Youth-Led Summit in February 2026 for approximately 75 students in grades 3–5. The summit will include hands-on activities and art projects focused on kindness, teamwork, and inclusion, along with lunch and resource-filled swag bags for participants. Through peer-led teaching, the summit will foster leadership, communication, and mentoring skills among older students while promoting belonging and emotional well-being among younger participants.

County: Lawrence

Organization: Impact Prevention

Award Amount: $4,800

Summary: Impact Prevention, a nonprofit established in 2017, has supported youth-led prevention programs across Lawrence County. The organization will host the Lawrence County Youth-Led Prevention Summit, “Empowerment: For Youth, By Youth,” planned and implemented entirely by high school students. The summit will focus on positive coping strategies, inclusivity, and connection to address the rising rates of hopelessness, sadness, and lack of belonging identified in the 2023–24 Ohio Healthy Youth Environments Survey. Participants will engage in peer-led lessons and receive suicide prevention resources, including 988 hotline materials.

County: Miami

Organization: Miami East High School

Award Amount: $3,000

Summary: The Miami East High School Hope Squad, established in 2020, is a peer-nominated, trained student group dedicated to reducing suicide and mental health stigma through awareness, education, and connection. Their new proposal seeks to create a Wellness Room, a calm, private space where students can decompress, practice self-regulation, and hold confidential QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) conversations during moments of distress. This space aims to normalize seeking mental health support, prevent crises through early intervention, and reinforce a culture of care and inclusion within the school. Students will design, furnish, and launch the room by December 2025, followed by workshops and a community open house to introduce the resource.

County: Scioto

Organization: Sciotoville Community School/ Sources of Strength

Award Amount: $4,000

Summary: The Sources of Strength program at Sciotoville Community School, established in 2022, serves students in grades 6–12 by helping them identify personal strengths, build resilience, and reduce stigma around mental health. With OSPF funding, the program aims to expand campaigns, host large-scale events involving families, create visual displays highlighting strengths, and train students and staff to lead strengths-based activities throughout the year.

County: Summit

Organization: Pastoral Counseling Service of Summit County DBA Red Oak Behavioral Health

Award Amount: $2,500

Summary: The iC.A.R.E. CONNECT program, founded in 2021–2022, is an after-school, peer-to-peer mentoring initiative for middle and high school students focused on resilience, self-esteem, and problem-solving. With OSPF funding, CONNECT will expand its service-learning model, enabling students to design and lead mental health and suicide-prevention projects using the Strategic Prevention Framework. Activities are structured monthly to build awareness, strengthen connections, teach coping strategies, and promote help-seeking, including schoolwide campaigns, peer-led workshops, and skill-building exercises.

County: Tuscarawas

Organization: OhioGuidestone

Award Amount: $7,000

Summary: OhioGuidestone’s Youth to Youth program in Tuscarawas County is a student-led prevention group that empowers teens to make healthy choices, prevent substance misuse, and promote mental well-being. To address youth stress, burnout, and lack of leadership resources, the group proposes hosting a Youth-Led Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Summit for middle and high school leaders from all seven county school districts. Planned and led entirely by students, the summit will feature youth-designed workshops on topics such as setting boundaries, managing social media, and organizing mental health campaigns. Participants will also design prevention tools—like magnets or stickers promoting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline—to share messages of hope in their schools.

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OSPF Mission