1 in 5 adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
Approximately 1/3 of mood disorders, such as depression, first emerge during adolescence.
10 % of high school students and 12.5% of middle school students in missouri have seriously considered suicide within the last year. (2023 yrbs)
80% of youth with mental illness are not identified and do not receive any mental health services.
About Our Program
CHADS Coalition trains students, parents, and adults on recognizing and preventing suicide with the only universal, evidence-based prevention program, Signs of Suicide, in partnership with MindWise Innovations. Signs of Suicide (SOS)® teaches participants the symptoms of depression, signs of suicide, and the importance of telling a Trusted Adult when they notice those warning signs in themselves or someone they know. Highly trained Bachelor's and Master's level trainers guide discussions around mental health and the importance of seeking help as early as possible. Training sessions are available for youth from 5th grade through senior year as well as parents, teachers, and community members. At the end of each student training, participants are guided through a screening for depression and allowed to ask to speak with a counselor for themselves or someone they know. Through the screening and self-referral process in the student training, SOS gives students an immediate, tangible action to seek help. Schools can then identify students who may have fallen through the cracks and connect them with resources as early as possible.
Review the Curriculum
New in 2023! Our Program is Now Available in Mid-Missouri
Regional Expansion
For almost 20 years, CHADS has primarily facilitated SOS within the St. Louis Metro. However, in recent years, we have built relationships with several schools and districts throughout Missouri. Recognizing the need for more suicide prevention services in Rural Missouri, we made the strategic decision to intentionally expand our service area with the goal of providing SOS across the state of Missouri over the next 10 years. To help us reach this goal, we recently hired a Regional Coordinator to guide our expansion efforts. Our current school and community relationships outside of St. Louis include Hannibal 60, Palmyra R-I, Monroe City R-I, Canton R-V, Marion County R-II, North Shelby, Blair Oaks R-II, and Diocese of Jefferson City Catholic Schools. If you are interested in having CHADs in your school or getting involved in our Regional Expansion, please contact Jamie Gollaher, CHADS Regional Coordinator (jamie@chadscoalition.org).
“I think this presentation was great. This presentation helped me and hopefully helped others as well. I think it’s great that you talk about it with people because you never know who might need to hear it. I loved it, thank you for sharing with us about this topic.”
In the 2022-23 school year:
6,875
students asked for help after an SOS® presentation.
85
presentations were given per week during peak months.
58,642
kids saw a CHADS presentation.
“Thank you, this is a vital piece of knowledge all students, teachers and school employees need to protect our future!”
Our Information
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