How a Peer Program Is Changing Mental Health in Sullivan County Schools

Since Hope Squad launched at Fallsburg Junior Senior High School this year, the program’s advisor Kristen Meyer has counted seven referrals — seven students who came to the program, or were brought in by a peer, and received help.

She doesn’t describe them as data points.

“Seven students who didn’t do something that can’t be reversed,” Meyer said. “Seven students who were helped. Seven students who will live another day.”

That’s the animating idea behind Hope Squad: that a classmate who knows what to look for, and what to do, can make all the difference. The peer-to-peer mental health initiative is currently being piloted at Fallsburg as part of a broader youth mental health effort led by Sullivan 180, the community health nonprofit serving Sullivan County, NY.

A Crisis That Didn’t Start with COVID — But Got Worse

Educators across the country have been sounding the alarm on youth mental health for years. What they’re seeing in Sullivan County mirrors what’s being reported nationally: rising rates of anxiety and depression, social isolation, and students who are struggling in silence.

Mylene Ortiz, youth mental health program manager with Sullivan 180, points to social media as one culprit. “It can be a good way to connect with friends,” she said, “but it creates this comparison culture where they’re comparing themselves to others, so it can make them feel isolated.”

The pandemic deepened the problem. Meyer, who works directly with students daily, said many teens are still feeling the effects of being isolated during the years they were developing social skills.

“Social anxiety, being isolated for that long when they were developing those social skills — it’s impacted their comfort zone,” she said. “Depression continues to be an issue with teens. And here in Sullivan County, a lot of our kids have home lives that are not so great.”

Trained by Peers, Backed by Adults

What sets Hope Squad apart is its structure: students aren’t randomly assigned. They’re nominated by their classmates — chosen because their peers already see them as trustworthy.

Once selected, students go through a curriculum of real-life scenarios, learning to identify warning signs of struggle and understand when and how to involve an adult. They don’t work alone. Advisors like Meyer are behind them at every step.

“We help them think about what the next steps are,” Meyer explained. “How to seek appropriate help.”

The program also has protocols for the hard moments — like late at night, when a teenager might turn to a friend before anyone else.

“At 10 o’clock at night, they can’t call one of us,” Meyer said, “but they can text a friend. And if those friends know how to handle those situations, we’ve already empowered another person to help someone else.”

Small Moments, Big Stakes

Since launching at Fallsburg this school year, Hope Squad has seen seven direct referrals — students who came to the program or were brought in by a peer, and who received appropriate help.

The program recently hosted “Hope Week,” a school-wide awareness campaign. Meyer said the students were “super super excited” about it. Next up: a trip to Albany for Mental Health Matters Day, where Hope Squad students hope to make their voices heard with legislators about what young people in Sullivan County need.

“The kids are talking,” Meyer said. “That’s the most encouraging part to me — that they are having those conversations and learning to advocate for themselves.”

Building the Whole Child

For Sullivan 180, Hope Squad fits into a broader philosophy: that mental health is inseparable from physical health.

“By focusing on mental health as well as nutrition and physical activity, we’re creating that whole child approach,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz was recently named a regional leader with the Suicide Prevention Center of New York — a position Sullivan County hadn’t held in over five years. In the role, she advocates for state resources and training for local schools and brings back what she learns to communities across the county.

What Parents Can Do Right Now

For families watching a child struggle, Meyer offered straightforward advice: trust your instincts.

“You know your children better than most people,” she said. “If you see them acting differently — depression doesn’t always mean they’re sad all the time. Anger is a part of depression.”

She urges parents and young people alike to memorize 988 — the national mental health crisis and suicide prevention lifeline — the same way an earlier generation learned to dial 911.

“It’s not just for people who are in immediate crisis,” Meyer said. “It can help you find counseling resources in your area. It can provide support on the phone.”

Schools or educators interested in bringing Hope Squad to their district can reach out through sullivan180.org.

Sullivan 180 is a financial supporter of Radio Catskill.

A correction to this article was made on March 10, 2026. Kristen Meyer is a Hope Squad advisor, not a school counselor.

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