Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Receives $171,310 Grant to Fund Anti-Bullying Programs in Montgomery County Schools

MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (Sept. 6, 2023) – The Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Foundation, on behalf of Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, has received $171,310 in funding from CommonSpirit Health’s Mission and Ministry Violence Prevention Fund to create two anti-bullying programs in Montgomery County Schools – Green Dot and Sources of Strength. 

The grant from CommonSpirit will go toward administering the two programs over the next three years, which will be led by the newly founded Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Violence Prevention Initiative, which aims to engage, equip and empower students with the awareness and skills to integrate moments of prevention within their existing relationships and daily activities.

“We at Saint Joseph Mount Sterling care deeply for the safety of all community members, which is why we are proud to launch these two programs that will educate and empower students,” said John Yanes, president, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling. “With this generous funding from CommonSpirit Health and the support of Montgomery County Schools and teachers, this program will help students develop behaviors to prevent violence.”

The goal of Green Dot and Sources of Strength is to educate and empower students to safely and effectively intervene when they see or hear about situations like bullying, sexual assault and suicidal ideation to limit situations where violence could otherwise occur.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, one in every five students ages 12-18 experience bullying nationwide. While bullying is a nationwide issue, research released by the United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings in 2022 found that Kentucky continues to outpace the U.S. in youth suicide rates for adolescents ages 15-19.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to help fund this Green Dot program at Saint Joseph Mount Sterling,” said Delaine Thiel, CFRE, vice president of philanthropy, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Foundation. “These programs will help students in Montgomery County better understand how to spot potential violent situations and how to de-escalate them safely.”

Green Dot is a nationally recognized violence prevention program focused on preventing power-based personal violence, including sexual violence, intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, bullying and stalking. Sources of Strength is a national program that addresses youth mental health and suicide prevention to harness the power of peer social networks and create healthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, violence, bullying and substance misuse.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health

CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Saint Joseph Mount Sterling

Saint Joseph Mount Sterling is a 42-bed community hospital located in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. Established in 1918, the facility serves residents of Montgomery, Bath, Menifee, Powell and Rowan counties. An investment of $60 million opened the current facility in 2011.

About Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Foundation

Saint Joseph Hospital Mount Sterling Foundation supports CHI Saint Joseph Health’s drive for excellence by inspiring donors to make a tangible difference through their philanthropic investment in outstanding patient care facilities and services, the education of caregivers, advanced clinical research and improved access to quality medical care.

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