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Montgomery County spotlights student‑led ‘Be The 1’ program to prevent teen suicide and substance misuse
Summary
At a county briefing, health officials and two student ambassadors described Be The 1’s peer-led prevention work — training, school outreach and social campaigns — and urged residents to use local crisis lines and county resources for youth in crisis.
Montgomery County Executive hosted a briefing highlighting Be The 1, a youth ambassador program that trains students to spot and respond to mental-health and substance-use crises among peers. County public-health staff joined behavioral‑health chief Monica Martin and two student ambassadors to outline the program’s outreach and prevention activities.
The program operates on two levels: social‑media advocacy to reduce stigma and community leadership projects such as mindfulness sessions, self‑soothing kits and educational events. Monica Martin said excessive screen time is “consistently linked to poor mental health in teens,” and that addictive patterns of device use — not just total hours — raise suicide risk.
Student ambassador Sarah Insesadio, a rising senior at Albert Einstein High School, described how pandemic‑era isolation and social media increased body‑image issues for many peers and urged practical limits on device use. “Social media has its negative and positive effects on body image and mental health,” she said, and recommended strategies such as tech‑free zones, app limits, and avoiding screens an hour before bed.
Program administrator Cameron Pondexter said the initiative recruits ambassadors across the county to reflect community diversity and to lead prevention efforts in both middle and high schools. She cited impact figures: 17 schools were represented last year, the program has trained more than 700 peers in lifesaving overdose response since 2022, and ambassadors contributed over 2,000 student service‑learning hours while generating large social‑media reach.
Reporters asked how the program balances schoolwork that is online with efforts to reduce screen time; Sarah said teachers often mix digital and paper assignments and try to give students options to reduce overall screen exposure. A separate question about male participation drew the response that young men attend and help at events but are often less vocal in emotional check‑ins due to stigma.
County staff reminded residents that help is available through the national 988 crisis line and a local crisis center that offers 24/7 walk‑in assistance at (240) 777‑4000. The county pointed listeners to the program’s online resources (noted in the briefing as bethe1.org) and encouraged schools and families to connect with ambassadors for local activities.
The briefing closed with county staff reiterating the role of peer support and parental monitoring as protective factors and urging adults to check in with youth who show signs of distress.
