The Jason Foundation's Tennessee Won't Be Silent Campaign Enters Third Year

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Mar 01, 2023, 11:29 ET

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jason Foundation, Inc., a nationally recognized leader in suicide awareness and prevention, featured highlights today from their statewide initiative to combat suicide deaths, Tennessee Won't Be Silent. The campaign kicked off in July of 2020 with a virtual press conference featuring remarks from various stakeholders. "Talking openly about mental health can be hard, but it is incredibly important. I'm grateful to The Jason Foundation for their efforts to increase awareness and availability of resources for mental health," remarked Governor Bill Lee during the conference.

Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for our middle and high school aged youth within the state. Three Tennesseans die by suicide each day. Since the launch of Tennessee Won't Be Silent, The Jason Foundation has organized collaborative partners across the state to normalize talking about mental health issues and suicide.

Some highlights and activities from the Tennessee Won't Be Silent campaign:

To expand community awareness of suicide prevention and available resources, The Jason Foundation hosted community outreach events throughout the state. These events include a presentation on suicide prevention and community providers offering mental health resources. There have been eight Tennessee Won't Be Silent Community Awareness events to date, with one more scheduled in Knoxville.
A vital aspect of the dedicated Tennessee Won't Be Silent website is the county resource portal. Resources from across the state that specialize in mental health or mental health crises have been compiled. The resource map allows the user to see what resources are available by selecting a desired county.
The campaign has also found success connecting with families and communities through schools and sports functions. JFI staff and volunteers have attended TSSAA championships in a myriad of sports for middle and high schools. From flyers designed for coaches to live PA announcements during halftime to promotional materials that feature the initiative, Tennessean families have been receptive to the messages of hope.
The Jason Foundation developed and is currently implementing a diverse media campaign to impact Tennesseans. Public Service Announcements have been featured on television broadcasts, streaming networks, billboards, and various other means within all 95 counties to highlight suicide's preventability and resources for help.