BEAVER, Pa – Congressman Keith Rothfus (PA-12) spoke at the Beaver County Youth Ambassador Program’s (YAP) training. More than 150 Beaver County high school students and faculty participated along with state and local officials.

“Launched two years ago, the Youth Ambassador Program in Beaver County has been making great progress in its mission to destigmatize mental health issues and promote healthy ways for students to cope with stress and loneliness,”said Congressman Rothfus. “I have traveled across the district and met with individuals and families who tragically lost loved ones to suicide. This program plays an important role in our community to equip participating student ambassadors with the ongoing education, resources, and awareness training they need to support their peers and create a culture of understanding and camaraderie.”

“Since the inception of the Youth Ambassador Program (YAP) in 2016, Beaver County Behavioral Health (BC/BH), the Beaver County System of Care partners and the youth of Beaver County have worked tirelessly to spread the awareness of mental illness, fight stigma surrounding it, and educate the community on available resources. The YAP participants want to thank Congressman Keith Rothfus for his support of this endeavor and taking the time to listen to the youth of Beaver County.  The focus on mental health initiatives such as this as well as the funding to support them is vitally important to our community as we try to address such issues as suicide, trauma, violence in the schools, and drug overdoses which continue to plague this population.”  – Maureen Hawk, Supervisor of Youth Services, BCRC, System of Care Partner