The West Virginia Council for the Prevention of Suicide selected Kanawha County as the location for our three year project. Kanawha County was mainly selected due to the high number of reported suicides. Kanawha County has the most reported suicides in West Virginia based on our latest statistics.  Thirteen percent of the adolescents in West Virginia who completed suicide during 1995-2003 were residents of Kanawha County.  Data from 2005 shows that 399 high school and 277 middle school students in Kanawha County said they have thought often or a lot about suicide. 

The ASPEN project proposes to serve youth in Kanawha County schools by providing a mobile quick response team who will respond to school personnel the same day that they are contacted to provide risk assessments and to offer treatment services to the youth and their families.  Additionally, ASPEN will provide awareness training to students, faculty and staff regarding the signs and symptoms of suicidal behavior.  The project proposes to incrementally provide services to all Kanawha County middle and high school students so that by the end of the third year of the project 100% of the schools will be connected with ASPEN.  

We are very excited to offer the ASPEN services to the Kanawha County community.  Kanawha County Schools has graciously agreed to assist the project and to help improve services for their students.  Prestera Center has agreed to be the fiscal manager for the project which includes hiring and housing the ASPEN project staff.  This is a wonderful opportunity to improve the futures of our youth!