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Park County LAC advances Hope Squad pilot, holds funds for school training
Summary
The Park County Local Advisory Council reviewed plans to pilot a Hope Squad program in local high schools, discussed a $25,000 training grant and a separate $5,000 trainer grant for Pride for Life, and heard a timetable for a summer rollout of a Connect referral system.
The Park County Local Advisory Council on its February agenda discussed advancing a Hope Squad pilot and related training to expand youth mental-health support in county schools. Travis Horton, a council member, outlined outreach to Livingston High, Shields Valley and Gardner schools and said grant funds are waiting to support initial implementation.
Horton said the group has set aside about $25,000 to cover trainer time and related travel for an outside trainer and that the priority for that funding is Park County, then tribal representatives and neighboring counties. “Bottom line is, absolutely, there could be a need to help get that,” Horton said, describing work to secure travel and training logistics.
Horton also told the council the LAC received $5,000 intended to train local staff members (the public health nurse and a school nurse) as Pride for Life trainers so the county can broaden local trainer capacity for suicide prevention. He said the preferred pilot age is high school, aiming for an August start if funding and staff availability align, but the group discussed beginning earlier grades if feasible and funded.
Council members discussed evaluation metrics Horton proposed, including the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and other behavioral-health measures to track program impact. Horton encouraged coordination across schools so multiple sites could begin simultaneously to allow statistical evaluation.
Separately, Amy (council chair) reported that the Connect referral project has begun with Livingston Healthcare and that organizers hope to combine online and in-person outreach with a phased, summer rollout once local resources are populated in the system. The chair said Laurie will contact local organizations and providers about onboarding and training.
The council did not take a formal vote on program adoption or specific funding commitments at this meeting; members agreed to follow up with more detailed budget and scheduling information at future meetings.
