Beginning Wednesday, March 2nd, the Hope Squad organization will be hosting several events throughout Okaloosa County. These events coincide with March being Self-harm month.

The dates for these events are provided below:

• March 2nd, 6:00-7:30 pm at Choctaw High School’s auditorium
• March 3rd, 5:30-7:00pm at Pensacola State College and on the Milton Campus from 1:00-3:30 pm.
• March 4th, 6:00-7:30 pm at Crestview High School’s auditorium

United for a Good Cause invites the public to attend one of the four regional Community Conversations regarding the mental health of our youth.

The Executive Director of United for a Good Cause, Peggy Brockman, says, “We have eighteen schools that currently have their Hope Squad program in various stages of implementation. “

• Fifteen of those are in Okaloosa County, one in Santa Rosa and two in Escambia County.
• According to Brockman, others will be onboarding their programs over the next year. 

“We still have a long way to go, but we are moving forward in spite of a global pandemic slowing the process,” added Brockman. “We know Hope Squad is making a difference in the schools it is in. Students are finding hope again and are learning that it is ok to speak up and seek help.”

Brockman added that 75% of young people will tell a peer before harming themselves but will not go to an adult.  

“That is why the peer-to-peer program is so successful across the country,” she said.

Between 2018-2020, Northwest Florida (from Walton to Escambia County) falls in the top 3 for youth suicides per 100,000 population for the State of Florida, according to United for a Good Cause.

“It is time for our communities to come together on this topic and be aware of the challenges we face in keeping our kids safe,” said Brockman.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a statewide school-based survey of Florida’s public high school students, showed that:

• 39.3% of high school students felt sad or hopeless.
• 17.7% seriously considered attempting suicide.
• 13.8% made a suicide plan and 8.9% attempted suicide.

After seeing these statistics in 2019, United for a Good Cause took on the task of raising money to bring the Hope Squad program to this region.

Doctor Greg A. Hundall, the creator of the Hope Squad peer-to-peer suicide prevention organization, will be leading these conversations. 

“Doctor Hundall has championed suicide prevention in schools and communities for over 20 years,” explained Brockman. “His expertise is not only used locally, but also nationally and internationally at the highest levels of government.” 

Suicide is the second leading cause of death between the ages 10-24, and the third leading cause of death of individuals between the ages of 5-14, according to the Florida Department of Vital Statistics.

As part of the public events, the seventh annual Youth Leadership Conference will take place at Niceville High School on Saturday, March 5th, from 9am-3pm. This event is open to area 7th-12th grade students in public, private, or homeschools. 

The conference is designed to:   

• Cultivate leadership skills.
• Empower attendees with tools and resources.
• And inspire to live and model civic action in the community while helping them discover their purpose and potential.  

“This year’s conference is special because we are bringing together kids from throughout the region that are interested in leadership, with the great number of kids   already actively participating within the Hope Squad Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention  Program,” said Brockman. “United for a Good Cause is the lead entity helping secure funding for and implementing Hope Squad in our region’s schools.”

For more information on their organization, go to www.unitedforagoodcause.org