The Lean On Me Project in collaboration with Compeer, First Step of Sarasota & Coastal Behavioral Healthcare is a donor funded crisis prevention, resilient initiative for students and families. It is structured to positively support youth during these new normal times and create human connection that is purposeful as it relates to school and mental health wellness.
We believe that the students should have access to resources such as mentoring, group connections, and personal care to reduce internal conflicts that affect academic performance. We believe that it takes a village to raise a child/teen, and that village should be accessible, healthy, and safe. The Lean on Me Program is a wrap around community service that is in line with the CDC and ASCD Learning & Health Initiative.
Bridging Mental Health, Education & Access During the School Day
Amy Weinberger and Jordan Stonecypher were handpicked by a local donor who wanted to give back to teens. Bob Cohn approached Amy after the Mental Health Awareness Program In Sarasota, FL, One Thing I Wish You Knew (January 2019).
Bob inquired if Amy could create an easily accessible mentoring program for schools in the local area. Amy, of course, responded, "YES." Not knowing where this would lead, she pressed on and in February the Child and Youth Mental Health Environmental Scan was released with the support of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. USF compiled the data. The evidence was readily available. Next, Amy met with Marlene Hauck of Coastal Behavioral Health, and Amy asked Jordan Stonecypher, a former student and former colleague, to join her to write the program. Marlene asked us to present to the FLIP program team. They loved it and adopted it as their FLIP Plus Program. By June, Amy and Jordan were ready to pitch it to the Sarasota County School Board administrators. Since Jordan had completed an internship at Brookside for the 2018-2019 school year, she suggested that the middle school community would greatly benefit from a mentoring program. After meetings with the Brookside Administrative Team and the county, all the boxes were checked off, and the program launched In October 2019.
In response to COVID-19. LOM transformed to a 100% virtual mentoring outreach program that students can access by calling their school counselor.
"There are always miracles gifted to you if you open your eyes!" - Amy F. Weinberger, MSEd
FSOS-PJ Brooks & Todd Shapiro, Co-Founder, Amy F. Weinberger, Donor- Bob Cohn, NAMI- Taylor Walker
