The Network is proud to celebrate a major achievement by member agency Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans: its long-running Teen Life Counts (TLC) program has been officially named to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s (SPRC) Best Practices Registry—a prestigious national listing of programs that meet the highest standards in suicide prevention.
Launched by JFS in 1984, Teen Life Counts is a free, school-based education and prevention program reaching middle and high school students across Greater New Orleans. TLC delivers essential education on suicide warning signs, the stigma around mental illness, and how students can safely connect their peers to help. The program also trains adults—including educators, parents, and community gatekeepers—to recognize and respond to youth in crisis. In the 2024–2025 school year alone, TLC engaged more than 1,500 students and 200 adults across 15 local schools.
To qualify for inclusion in the SPRC registry, JFS partnered with LSU’s Institute for Nonprofit Administration and Research for a rigorous program evaluation. The findings confirmed the program’s effectiveness and alignment with best practices in the field—ultimately earning TLC its place on the national registry.
This honor not only affirms the impact of TLC in saving lives but also underscores the role of NJHSA member agencies in setting a national standard for youth mental health programming. Congratulations to JFS of Greater New Orleans for this well-deserved recognition!