CHADS offers Signs of Suicide®, Family Support, and Social Emotional Well-being programs to advance
04/10/2026
Big congratulations to The Jefferson School Counseling Team, at Jefferson Intermediate School, for being our February 2026 Lighthouse Awards winner! 💚
Recipients of the Lighthouse Award are recognized for being extraordinary advocates for mental health and su***de prevention, and they exemplify what it means to show up consistently, compassionately, and intentionally for students.
Because of partners like the City of St. Charles School District, we're able to continue this vital work.
Thank you for your commitment to creating safe, supportive spaces and for investing in the well-being of the students you serve.
ADifference
04/09/2026
Be the star behind the scenes! 🎬
Our Trivia Night isn’t possible without incredible sponsors like YOU.
This is your chance to spotlight your business while supporting a mission that saves lives. 💚
Today is World Health Day, a reminder that health isn't just physical. Mental health is health, too.
Mental health challenges don't always look visible. But it's real, and it matters. Supporting mental health isn't a one-day conversation. It's ongoing, community-driven, and it starts with each of us. 💚
04/07/2026
As the school year nears its close, are you concerned about your child maintaining the social-emotional skills they've learned? Do you want to help them improve in this area even more during the summer?
Join us this summer and have your child work with one of our mentors. 🌞
87% of students improve social-emotional competencies after participating in our Social Emotional Wellness program. Improvement in grades, behavior, peer relationships, and overall well-being are just a few benefits children gain when learning these critical life skills. 💚
Registration is officially open for the American Association of Suicidology's 59th Annual Conference, happening May 17–22 right here in St. Louis!
We're especially proud to share that our own Chief Program Officer, Colleen Suber, and SOS® Program Manager, Mindy Grossmann, will take the stage to share real stories, impact, and the work being done every day to save young lives. 💚
If you're passionate about mental health and su***de prevention, this is more than just a conference; it's a chance to learn, connect, and be part of something bigger.
Our conversation with Family Support Therapist Sarah Engle is now available to replay. While Women’s History Month has come to a close, the pressure of unrealistic beauty standards on women and teen girls hasn’t—and neither has this important conversation. 💚
Take a moment to watch, reflect, and share with someone who may need it.
04/01/2026
Lights, Camera… ACTION! 🎬
The stage is set, and Trivia Night registration is officially OPEN!
Grab your crew, pick your team name, and get ready for a night full of laughs, friendly competition, and unforgettable moments—all in support of youth mental health. 💚
🎭Costumes encouraged
🏆Prizes to win
💕Memories to make
Behind every life changed is a woman who cares deeply. 💚
Today, we're spotlighting just a few of the incredible women on our team who show up every day to support youth mental health as Women's History Month comes to a close.
Their compassion, dedication, and strength make our mission possible.
03/27/2026
Grateful for the opportunity to join students and their families from Lucas Crossing School Complex and Jefferson Elementary, as well as our amazing partners in the Impact Network at Child Advocacy Day this week! 💚
03/26/2026
Don’t forget to join us live on Instagram tomorrow night at 8:30pm!
03/25/2026
Thank you McClure Engineering!
PIE Day 2026: Sweet Success at McClure Engineering! Raising Spirits, Funds, and a Few Pies for a Great Cause. McClure Engineering recently celebrated a PIE Day that was bigger, bolder, and more impactful than ever! The adventure kicked off in late February, when our team set a lofty fundraising
03/24/2026
Love seeing our school partners like Parkway Schools help lead the way in ending the stigma and uplifting student mental health. 👏
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Chad McCord was not your ordinary teenager. He was an Eagle Scout. He was in the top 15% of his class at Oakville High School and had almost 20 college credits. He was a church youth group retreat leader and an outstanding athlete. During his 3-1/2 years of high school, he earned 5 “most something” plaque awards for cross-country, soccer and track. He was being recruited by a Division 1 school to play college soccer. He was nominated for and attended a week-long leadership program in Washington, DC. As a volunteer, he spent many hours as a coach and worker for the Kirkwood Track Club. He was the assistant coach for his church C*C track team for four years.
Chad had a special compassion and respect for everyone. He loved to volunteer, especially with children with special needs. This was clear in his work with Ride On St. Louis, an equestrian therapy program for physically challenged children.
Chad’s life was forever changed after depression reared its ugly and deadly head. The disease was just as deadly and invasive as cancer. Slowly, it took over Chad’s spirit, body and mind. With every passing day, Chad lost hope and began seeing himself as a burden to all. His depression blinded him to the many gifts he had.
Chad could no longer hide his depression behind the mask he wore so well. In October 2003, Chad was diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder. Several months later, he was diagnosed with OCD (obsessing to hurt himself) and rapid cycling Bipolar Disorder.
As Chad underwent his treatment, he vowed that after he got better he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives by bringing mental illness out of the closet. He said that once he was better, he wanted to stand in front of the school assembly and say, “Hi, my name is Chad McCord, and I suffer from depression.”
He commented, “If I had cancer, students would rally around me and make posters and give me a hero’s welcome when I came back to school. But since I have a mental illness, the students will shy away from me. They will think I am weird and not want to be around me.”
Chad McCord was 18 years old when he lost his battle with depression and took his life on April 15, 2004. Unfortunately, Chad left this world before fulfilling his dream to increase awareness and acceptance of mental illness.
Chad’s parents, Larry and Marian McCord, vowed to be Chad's voice! In 2005, they founded CHADS Coalition for Mental Health in memory of their son, Chad. CHADS' goal is to save teen lives.
