The spark that began with a grieving mother’s determination has now caught fire in Allen County schools. Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center (SEKMHC) has announced it will fully fund the “Zero Reasons Why” suicide prevention initiative, ensuring students in Iola, Humboldt, and Moran have access to a program that has already changed lives elsewhere in Kansas.
“We’ve been excited to participate in and help support and develop this program from the very beginning,” said SEKMHC Executive Director Nathan Fawson in a phone interview with the Register. “Our therapists and our team were very actively involved when the Zero Reasons Why group came down and presented before the schools. Our commitment’s been there from the start.”
That commitment is now financial as well. Fawson confirmed SEKMHC will cover the annual cost of implementing the initiative across the three Allen County school districts. The funds will be contracted through Overflow, the agency which operates Zero Reasons Why, with the goal of maintaining and expanding the program in years to come.
“In fact, the grander goal is to extend the service to other counties that we also serve,” Fawson said. SEKMHC currently provides in-school therapy and community-based support in 15 districts across six counties, with plans to add another school soon. “The Allen County initiative will help us upstart and carry forward,” said Fawson. “We view it as a pilot for how this program could grow throughout the region.”
FOR SHARLA Miller, the announcement marked a milestone in her years-long fight to prevent teen suicide. Six years ago, Miller lost her son to suicide, and ever since she has devoted herself to advocacy and education. She first brought Zero Reasons Why to Iola High School two years ago, where it was met with overwhelming student support. This year, she worked with SEKMHC and the Rural Health Initiative to expand the campaign countywide.
At this week’s Allen County Commission meeting, Miller updated officials on the funding breakthrough. “As of last week, SEK Mental Health said that they would do the implementation on the $40,000 it was going to take for all three schools,” she said. Commissioners quickly voted to provide an additional $1,000 to each district to help cover community events and student-led projects not included in SEKMHC’s funding.
Zero Reasons Why sets itself apart from traditional prevention programs because it is led by teens themselves. Students form campaign councils at their schools, design projects, host forums, and engage their peers in conversations about mental health. Sponsors provide adult guidance, but the momentum is student-driven.
“It empowers the kids and involves them,” Fawson said. “It’s wonderful that it’s a youth-driven initiative whereby they’re planning and developing how best to address and support, and in so doing, they become more aware, more skilled, and more confident in helping those in need.”
THE PROGRAM’S results in Johnson County, where it began seven years ago, speak volumes. Youth suicide deaths there fell from 10 per year to zero — and stayed there for five years. Since then, the campaign has expanded into Sedgwick and Ford counties. With SEKMHC’s support, Allen County is now poised to join that movement.
Still, Miller stresses that community backing remains essential. She has raised additional funds for outreach efforts, including support from the Whitehead Foundation and the Sheriff’s Department.
After her son’s suicide, Miller founded 13 Reasons To Fly, a nonprofit focused on breaking the stigma around mental health through education and shared stories. She explained that the nonprofit will likely be renamed Friends of Allen County Mental Health, modeled after a similar nonprofit in Johnson County. The idea is to create a formal organization where people can donate funds to support mental health initiatives in Allen County.
Miller says she is currently in talks with the local community foundation about possibly holding those funds there. While the plan isn’t finalized, the vision is that donations wouldn’t only go toward Zero Reasons Why, but could also support other mental health projects or needs as they arise in the community.
Miller added that the Allen County Sheriff’s Department is planning a 5K fundraiser in May, during Mental Health Awareness Month. The event would raise money for both Zero Reasons Why and Friends of Allen County Mental Health, with hopes of making it an annual tradition.
“The larger goal is to establish a sustainable source of funding so the community isn’t scrambling each year to cover costs,” she said. “The new structure would allow quick financial support for any mental health events or initiatives in Allen County.”
Ultimately, Miller confirmed, 13 Reasons to Fly will dissolve once Friends of Allen County Mental Health is up and running.
COMMISSIONER Jerry Daniels praised the effort to bring Zero Reasons Why to Allen County schools. “I think it’s money well spent,” he said. Commissioner David Lee agreed, adding, “I appreciate Southeast Kansas Mental Health for stepping up.”
