Application Form: Sources of Strength 2024-25

Application Form: Sources of Strength Program

Interested school or community-based youth-serving organizations should visit the Sources of Strength website https://sourcesofstrength.org/ to determine whether to apply.

If you decide that this is the right program for your community, please complete this application. Thank you!

Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is partnering with Sources of Strength (Sources) to provide Washington communities (school or community-based youth-serving organizations) the opportunity to implement the Sources of Strength youth suicide prevention program. DOH will fund Sources of Strength directly, on an annual basis, to provide initial training and technical assistance to each site selected to implement the program. This opportunity is offered on an annual basis and is contingent upon the availability of funding. OSPI is pleased to help promote this DOH-funded youth suicide prevention program.

From 2018-22, suicide was the second leading cause of death for teens 15 to 19 years old in Washington (CDC WISQARS). According to the Washington Healthy Youth Survey (2023), 27% of eighth graders, 30% of 10th graders, and 32% of 12th graders felt so sad or hopeless for 2 weeks or more in the past year that they stopped doing their usual activities. 13% of 8th graders, 12% of 10th graders, and 12% of 12th graders reported making a suicide plan.

Sources of Strength is an evidence-based suicide prevention program that trains adult advisors, but also involves peer leaders to enhance protective factors associated with reducing suicide at the school/community level. Sources is listed on the National Best Practices Registry by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center and The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices.

Interested schools/organizations should visit the Sources of Strength website https://sourcesofstrength.org/ to further understand the program and the implementation commitment before completing the application and letter of commitment. Expectations for involvement include a commitment for Adult Advisors to attend three to six (3-6) hours of Adult Advisor Training and a four to six (4-6) hour Peer Leader training for their roles in mentoring student Peer Leaders to conduct safe suicide prevention messaging and overall coordination of the program. Schools/community-based organizations are recommended to plan for a 1:10 Adult Advisor to Peer Leader ratio. Sources of Strength is based on an in-person training model. Currently, Sources is planning for in-person trainings unless an organization or school only meets virtually.

While the cost of training provided by Sources of Strength national trainers and additional technical assistance is paid for by DOH, each implementing site will need to cover their own implementation costs. Implementation costs will differ by site based on how each site chooses to structure their program implementation. Implementation costs may include things like staff time to attend initial trainings, substitute teacher costs during trainings, staff time to support youth leaders, snacks for youth during their meetings, and youth participant supplies for their campaigns. Each site is also responsible to pay an annual $750 fee to Sources of Strength for licensing to use the program.

Schools/community-based organizations will be added to this cohort of Sources of Strength sites for implementation during the 2024-2025 school year. If site applications exceed current capacity, we will consider need based on Healthy Youth Survey or other data and will seek to include a geographically diverse range of sites. For more information about the Sources of Strength program, please contact Jaymie Sheehan Carson at jaymie@sourcesofstrength.org or Olivia Darrington at olivia@sourcesofstrength.org.

1. What type of applicant are you?