Palo Alto committee backs city partnership with JED Foundation, urges school board review

The City–Schools Liaison Committee unanimously voted Sept. 11 to refer consideration of a potential partnership between the Palo Alto Unified School District and the JED Foundation and to recommend that the City Council approve a separate city contract with JED for a 24‑month engagement.

Committee Chair Stone said the proposed work is intended to sharpen local prevention and postvention efforts around youth mental health. “A JED partnership is a no‑regret action,” Chair Stone said, adding that the city and district have already spent substantial resources on student mental health but that “suicide still plagues our city.”

The committee discussion followed a staff presentation describing a draft scope of work from the JED Foundation, a nationwide nonprofit that advises communities on teen and young adult emotional health and suicide prevention. Kristin O'Kane, Director of the Community Services Department, told the committee the current city proposal is for roughly $149,000 over 24 months and includes a gap analysis, youth engagement (a peer task force and focus groups), a high‑school survey (if the district concurs), a citywide communications campaign, and trainings for students, educators and parents.

Dr. Allison Rosen, a clinical neuropsychologist and private citizen, urged the committee to approve the partnership, saying parents need clearer education and that schools should be able to monitor predictors of suicidality. “Please make sure that those predictors are very clearly identified so that the school can monitor that as things change,” Rosen said.

Speakers from the community and education sector, including Dr. Ken Horowitz, Tom Culbertson (president of the Palo Alto Educators Association) and Shashank Joshi (a parent and Stanford professor who serves on JED advisory panels), also urged approval. Culbertson said the district’s roughly 800 educators represented by his union “support the efforts” and called mental‑health work “a community effort.” Joshi described JED High Schools as “evidence based” and said a formal partnership would bring national best practices to Palo Alto.

Representatives from JED described the organization’s approach as tailored and collaborative. Dr. Hurley, senior clinical director at the JED Foundation, said JED begins with a strengths and gap analysis, builds a strategic plan with local partners and keeps alumni supports in place after a formal engagement ends. “We never duplicate efforts,” Hurley said. “We like to build on the strengths that districts and schools are already using.”

Committee members asked how a three‑way partnership (city, district and JED) would affect deliverables and cost. Chair Stone and staff said the current city contract proposal would not need to change to allow later coordination with a district agreement; JED staff confirmed they could adapt deliverables if the district elected a separate agreement. Committee discussion also clarified that the district would need to concur before any JED high‑school survey is administered to PAUSD students.

Action and votes: the committee passed two motions unanimously. First, it referred to the school board “the consideration of potential partnership between the JED Foundation (and/or other third‑party mental health consultants) and the school district” and asked the district to continue collaboration with the city beyond the components currently in the JED proposal. Recorded yes votes during that motion were Council member Liu, Board member Camille, Board member Chiu and Chair Stone; the clerk announced the motion carried unanimously. Second, the committee voted to recommend that the City Council approve the city’s draft scope and contract with the JED Foundation; that motion also carried unanimously.

Staff said the city plans to bring the city contract to council on Sept. 29 and that if the district wants to pursue its own agreement with JED the district could craft a separate proposal. Committee members and public commenters emphasized urgency given recent student deaths in the community and called for rapid, coordinated follow‑up if council and the board approve.

The committee requested additional details from JED on outcomes and examples from other districts; JED offered to supply case studies and impact data, and JED staff said an alumni program and periodic check‑ins are available after a formal engagement ends.

Votes at a glance: • Motion 1 — Refer consideration of potential JED Foundation (and/or other third‑party mental health consultants) partnership with PAUSD and continue collaboration with the city beyond components currently in the JED proposal: Passed unanimously (recorded yes: Council member Liu; Board member Camille; Board member Chiu; Chair Stone). • Motion 2 — Recommend City Council approve the city’s draft scope and contract with the JED Foundation: Passed unanimously.

The committee closed the item by scheduling future follow‑up and requesting that staff share JED impact data with district staff for review before any formal district agreement is advanced.