GREAT FALLS — In the Great Falls Public School District, students aren't just hitting the books — they're stepping up to support mental health for their fellow students through a peer advocacy program called 'Listen, Inspire, Foster Trust' - also known as LIFT.
Shiksha Mahtani reports - watch the video:
Andrea Savage, a student mental health coordinator for Great Falls Public School District, reports that mental health concerns are "at an all-time high." The district has about 38% of students presenting with anxiety, according to their latest Youth Risk Behavioral Survey.
The program trains students as mental health advocates who learn to recognize signs of emotional distress and guide their peers to help.
LIFT was launched district-wide in 2021 as a small extracurricular group but quickly expanded into a comprehensive peer mentorship model.
With support from partners United Way of Cascade County, the Alliance for Youth, and Touro College, the initiative now involves about 150 students across both high schools and middle schools.
