Zero Reasons Why

Zero Reasons Why is a teen led story campaign and community mobilization effort to prevent teen suicide. 

I had heard about this organization but really didn't know much about it. Of course, I'm not a teen nor do I have teenage kids so there really isn't much reason why it would pop up on my radar. It did today though. A friend shared a post on facebook that stated teen suicide was down in Johnson County during 2020. Zero Reasons Why was mentioned in the article she linked to her post. According to Elizabeth Holzschuh, the county’s epidemiology director, some of the decline could be attributed to suicide prevention efforts by the county mental health center and Zero Reasons Why.

The group's initiative is having an impact letting teens know "it’s ok to not be ok". They’re reaching out for help, but they’re maybe not getting to that point of attempting or completing suicide. In the article Kessler (Kyle Kessler, executive director of Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Inc) said ZRW’s impact can be seen in the state’s suicide numbers among people ages 15 to 24, which decreased for the first time in 2019 by 18%. That is great news! 

Zero Reasons Why, created in 2018 by Johnson County teens and the Mental Health Center, is working to expand its reach to the entire Kansas City metro area. They had to adapt to accommodate COVID-19, which meant engaging with the community virtually instead of in-person. Keeping that in mind, they will continue to provide virtual opportunities in 2021. 

Below is a look at the 2021 committee goals are for 2021:

• The events committee is looking to hold virtual events as well as events for students to implement in their own schools. A wellness rock garden is one of the committee’s ideas, in which students would work together to raise mental health awareness and spread kindness.
• In an effort to get youth involved earlier, the middle school committee is looking into connecting with middle school principals so ZRW can speak to students.
• The content committee will be working on spreading awareness with 12 topics that will be highlighted on ZRW’s Instagram for one week each month this year. January’s focus was mental health myths, and February’s topic will be racism.
• ZRW’s convening committee is working to ensure the campaign’s message reaches across demographics and wants to increase participation and attendance.
• Similar to the middle school committee, the marketing committee will also focus on working with eighth graders this year. During mental health awareness week — the first full week of October — the committee will roll out interactive, online activities.
• The orientation committee is aiming to compile a guide for new members, which may include pairing new members with an existing member to help them along the way.

I don't know about you, but I think it is cool there is a teen oriented organization working to reduce suicide in young people. If you want to learn more about Zero Reasons Why visit them on facebook or online.