Jake Collective and AFSP Launch Five-Year Initiative for Neurodivergent Youth Well-being
Jake Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) have partnered on a five-year initiative to address the heightened risk of mental health challenges and suicide among neurodivergent young people.
New York – Jake Collective has announced a significant five-year initiative in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The partnership aims to deepen the understanding of the exceptionally high suicide risk among neurodivergent youth and to develop more effective interventions to support them.
The term neurodivergent describes individuals whose brains process information, learn, communicate, or behave in ways that differ from typical. This group, which includes individuals with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, experiences a markedly higher risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to neurotypical individuals. Despite this, research and prevention efforts have rarely focused specifically on this population.
Under the initiative, leading researchers in psychiatry, neurobiology, brain imaging, and pediatrics, alongside individuals with lived experience, will collaborate with AFSP. The goal is to identify the neurocognitive and psychosocial factors contributing to the increased risk of mental health issues and suicide. The knowledge gained will be used to improve the identification of warning signs and develop targeted interventions.
"Our goal is to move knowledge out of academic silos and into real-world settings where it can begin saving lives," stated Melissa Floren Filippone, CEO of Jake Collective. Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer at AFSP, emphasized that the initiative will fund research and bring together scientific expertise, clinical knowledge, and lived experience to drive life-saving changes.