Every young person deserves to be safe from suicide, and the Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention believes that the best way to reach every youth in Kansas is to provide opportunities for youth to talk to other youth. This is your opportunity to help state agencies shape suicide prevention messages that will go out to youth across the state! The goal is to raise awareness of the possibility of hope and healing while working to provide enough support to Kansas youth so that no one ever walks alone in crisis.

What we want:

• Submissions for prevention posters, PSA’s, or other creative works from youth grades 6-12
• Messages that help to build hope
• Submissions should include information on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line (provided below); local resources are also encouraged but not required
• Electronic submissions should be submitted by 9:59 PM, April 4, 2021, along with the photo release form. Submissions can be entered through the form at the bottom of the page.

How your entries will be used:

• All submissions will be available for viewing by the public in an online gallery
• Select submissions may be used by State agencies for the creation or advancement of suicide prevention messaging campaigns

$100 prize for the top 9 winners!

Submission Guidelines

• To ensure ease of use to the public, please consider the following guidance
  • Essays should be limited to no more than 1 page
    • Eligible electronic formats PNG or JPEG files
  • Original video/audio recordings should be no longer than 2 minutes
    • Eligible electronic formats MP3 or MP4
  • All entries should be original creations to avoid copyright infringement
  • Use your imagination and creativity
• Include these resources for help:
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255
  • Crisis Text Line; Text “Kansas” to 741 741
  • Local resources: (optional)
    • Find your local NAMI Chapter
    • Find your local Community Mental Healthcare Center

Kansas Partners in Empowering Youth for Suicide Prevention reminds all participants that a key goal of this project is to reduce stigma around mental illness and experiencing thoughts of suicide. Preventing suicide is a community effort that becomes possible when there are many people working towards the same goal. As such please consider the following recommendations:

• Refrain from graphic descriptions of suicide (how, when, and/or where).
• If you choose to share personal experience, consider if you are able to do so without causing yourself stress or sharing things you aren’t ready for other people to know
• Use the resources pages provided for more info on suicide prevention and mental illness. Click here for suicide prevention data. Click here for the warning signs of suicide. Click here for information on how to help someone who might be considering suicide

If at any time, you or someone working on the project experiences an emotional crisis let an adult know immediately or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free 24-hour hotline.

Click here to learn about the Lifeline and how you can get help

For more information about the contest, visit https://www.ksphq.org/artcontest/