South Fayette School District joins national student mental health initiative
Following the deaths of two students by suicide in the 2025-26 school year, the South Fayette School District is joining a nationwide effort to boost student mental health.
For the next three years, the district will be working with the Jed Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit organization, and AASA, the School Superintendents Association, on a mental health initiative that the district says will provide expert guidance and new enhancements to the district’s mental health systems.
The foundation is working for the district at no cost, according to Jennifer Donovan, a spokeswoman for the district. She explained, “We have always been committed to student mental health and wellness. As we’ve looked for ways that we can do more for our students, we discovered the Jed Foundation, and they seemed like a good match for us.”
Donovan continued, “The loss of two students last year has prompted us to review the practices we have in place and seek more ways to help our (students) understand just how much they are valued and that resources are available within the district for them.”
As part of the initiative, South Fayette will undergo an assessment of its mental health system, with input provided by students, staff, administrators and others. A survey was conducted in the district in the spring. The district will also work with both the Jed Foundation and the AASA on a plan, and be able to work with officials in other districts.
South Fayette already has several initiatives in place to help the mental health of its students, including a therapy dog, chill rooms, counselors and behavioral health partnerships, and is “woven into everything we do as a school district,” according to Michelle Miller, South Fayette’s superintendent. “Partnering with the Jed Foundation and AASA allows us to further that work with nationally recognized expert guidance, to help us provide every (student) with the support they need to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.”
The initiative has already gone through a pilot phase in 14 other school districts across the country, according to the Jed Foundation and AASA.