Stand Together

Stand Together aims to:

• train, inspire, and equip middle and high school youth to act against stigma toward peers with mental illness and/or substance use disorders
• reduce negative attitudes and beliefs
• promote social inclusion
• promote help-seeking behavior by youth

Each school

• identifies an adult advisor to champion Stand Together and to coach student participants
• selects a core team made up of 15-25 students, including student leaders, as well as students who have experience living or dealing with mental and/or substance use disorders

The Stand Together student team

• participates in two full days of Stand Together training
• develops at least three Stand Together projects based on their ideas
• submits a project proposal to Stand Together staff
• May receive up to $1,000.00 to implement chosen projects
• Attends a recognition event for all schools at the end of the year and submits a final project report

The funding/training entity Office of Behavioral Health (OBH)

• provides training to advisors and the Stand Together student team
• reviews all project proposals and distributes project funding to the schools
• provides ongoing technical assistance to schools
• sponsors a recognition event to showcase projects among participating schools

Partner schools have great things to say about Stand Together. Learn more on the Stand Together website.

Among other positive changes, data collected since 2014 from surveys administered to members of the Stand Together student team, immediately after training and at the end of the school year, demonstrates:

• increased learning of factual knowledge about mental illness and substance use disorders
• more positive attitudes toward peers who have mental health conditions
• an increased willingness to interact with peers with mental health conditions in a variety of school and social settings

Anecdotal evidence suggests additional benefits follow the implementation of Stand Together. Such benefits include:

• Student projects change the culture at their schools so mental illness and substance use disorders are no longer taboo subjects
• More students reach out for help when they need it
• Advisors, teachers, and school administrators report increased acceptance and inclusion of students with mental health conditions
• Students develop a personal commitment to end stigma by re-educating peers to create social change

Stand Together is offered to schools within Allegheny County at no cost, and offers funding for:

• student projects (up to $1,000.00)
• stipends for adult advisors
• reimbursement for substitutes (if needed for training days)
• Stand Together team t-shirts (up $200.00)
• all expenses for schools to attend the annual recognition event, including transportation and lunch

• Featured in 2025 Pittsburgh Tribune article recognizing Stand Together students with the Junior Achievement of Western PA’s "18 Under Eighteen" Award
• Mental Health America SW PA Innovation in Programming Award
• West Mifflin Area High School Stand Together Team-2015 Educator Award for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Advisor Lauren Rowe and trainer Holly Turkovic selected as finalists for the Consortium for Public Education’s Champions of Learning Award
• West Mifflin HS Stand Together Advisor, Lauren Rowe, named West Mifflin Area School District PTA Volunteer of the Year Award
• West Mifflin MS Stand Together team featured in Spring 2016 national NAMI VOICE newsletter
• Featured in Pittsburgh Tribune Review article (Dec. 2013) by Tory N. Parrish which received an award from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Media and Mental Health Journalism