Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Program

Our Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Program (P2P) is a student-led initiative that seeks to raise awareness of mental health conditions, fight stigma, and encourage help-seeking behavior to reduce the impact of mental health conditions on adolescents. 

P2P is an evidence-based collaboration between the Eisenberg Family Depression Center and middle and high schools across the nation. The program's goal is to promote early detection of depression, anxiety and related illnesses through education and awareness. We do this by educating middle and high school students about mental health conditions and concerns, and by supporting them in finding creative ways to share this knowledge with their peers.

Formed in 2009 in partnership with Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS), the award-winning program has expanded to 74 schools nationwide and continues to grow each year.

Program overview

In 2007, the Eisenberg Family Depression Center and AAPS began collaborating to provide depression awareness and suicide prevention education, training, and support for AAPS personnel. Beginning in fall 2009, a student education component, the Peer-to-Peer program, was added to this initiative. P2P is built on the premise that many mental health disorders first present themselves during adolescence, and teens are more likely to listen to other teens than well-meaning adults.

More and more students, schools, and communities have been affected by mental illness and suicide. To address these challenges, the P2P program has expanded its reach throughout Washtenaw County and into four states and counting.

Program outcomes

Each academic year, our team assesses the program's impact using pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Findings from the P2P program suggest that it increases mental health literacy and encourages youth to turn stigma into compassion. Students become not only aware of available resources but also feel comfortable seeking and receiving the support they need, and they encourage fellow students to do the same (Parikh et al., 2018).

Program evaluation consistently shows positive gains in participating schools:

• Students are more confident in their ability to identify someone who is showing common signs of depression and to help them access mental health support services
• They are more likely to seek help if they are experiencing symptoms of depression themselves
• Students are less likely to keep it a secret if a friend is thinking about suicide
• They are more comfortable discussing mental health issues with their peers
• Students reported lower stigma in their school environment related to students with mental health challenges

Want to know more? 

Download a copy of our P2P Program Overview to learn more about our program. Our staff is available to help guide you through the program details or provide a full consultation for more advanced needs. Contact Lizelle Salazar with any questions or to schedule a consult.