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For the past 15 years, the Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Program (P2P) at the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center has helped school districts address mental health stigma in their schools. The program began as a partnership between the Center’s Outreach and Education team and Ann Arbor Public Schools. Since then, P2P has grown to have programs in nearly 60 schools in four states.

Recently, the program invited P2P members from Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dearborn and Cleveland high schools to the University of Michigan campus for a retreat, to enhance their experiences as participants. The event focused on how to become long-term mental health advocates. It included discussions about possible career paths, leadership skill development and strategies for building community among the students, many of whom were students of color from under-resourced schools.

P2P organizers regularly seek input from participating schools and students, which is then used to adjust the program in informed and culturally sensitive ways. Attendees were able to share in-depth feedback about their experiences. The suggestions will be used to improve the program in the future.

“The retreat was an invaluable experience that will help us to tailor the program to suit the diverse needs of our school partners and their students,” explained Stephanie Salazar, manager of the Center’s Outreach and Education team. “The feedback we received will improve the education P2P mentors provide and help engage students more deeply.”

The program was able to host the retreat with the support of a Phyllis M. Blackman Innovation Grant. The grant allowed students to attend the event for free, ensuring the experience was accessible to everyone.

The grant application was a partnership between the Center’s DEI Committee and the Outreach and Education staff. “We are passionate about finding meaningful ways to support and advance the work at the intersection of DEI and mental health, " said the DEI committee leads. “We’re thrilled the grant helped eliminate barriers and allowed the P2P program to hear from diverse perspectives”

If you want to learn more about P2P or bring the program to your school, please email Lizelle Salazar, M.P.H., at lsalazar@med.umich.edu.