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Suicide Prevention Implementation Across Diverse Healthcare Settings Using the ECHO Model: Lessons from the American Foundation on Suicide Prevention and American Academy of Pediatrics

Date Posted: Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Feb. 18, 2026

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Abstract

This presentation focuses on key learnings from a 3-year Suicide Prevention ECHO program developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which aimed to support the implementation of suicide prevention strategies in both pediatric healthcare and community settings. Utilizing Project ECHO, this telementoring program launched in January of 2023 and completed seven clinical ECHO cohorts and three community ECHO cohorts and is the first dissemination effort of the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention, an educational resource which AAP and AFSP partnered to develop and publish in 2022. A total of 276 clinical ECHO learners representing primary care, emergency medicine, and school-based healthcare settings participated, in addition to 95 community ECHO learners representing AAP and AFSP chapters. During this presentation, attendees will learn about the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention as well as methodology and results from the Suicide Prevention ECHO program, including: development of the curricula, adaptations to different pediatric health care settings, role of community ambassadors, quality assurance overview, evaluating the ECHO model effectiveness, and implications for future youth suicide prevention efforts in clinical and community settings.

Overall, the AAP and AFSP Suicide Prevention ECHO program has contributed to positive provider education, with 92% of clinical attendees reporting increased knowledge around suicide prevention strategies, and 91% reporting increased confidence in applying the skills they learned as well as positive qualitative data showing good acceptability of the training and education model. This work has been presented at national and international conferences including MetaECHO, the American Evaluation Association, the International Summit on Suicide Research, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs.

Publications and blog posts to learn more about Project ECHO in pediatric settings include:

Speakers

Corbin J. Standley, PhD, is a community psychologist and researcher who has worked with community-based organizations across the country to turn data and research into action to create change. His work focuses on public health and community-level approaches to suicide prevention through capacity building, equitable systems change, and policy change.

Dr. Standley is the Senior Director of Impact Communication and Continuous Improvement at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In this role, he leads the continuous improvement and evaluation of AFSP and partnership programs and initiatives; drives impact communication efforts to disseminate AFSP’s reach and impact through multiple mediums; drives organizational learning through comprehensive needs assessments, continuous improvement approaches, and special evaluation initiatives; and lends his analytic, DEI, and translational science expertise to inform community, systems, and policy change. His commitment to amplifying and empowering voices in evaluation earned him an American Evaluation Association President’s Award in 2024.

Kristen Kaseeska, MPH, has expertise in public health and the non-profit industry for over a decade. Ms. Kaseeska specializes in project development and implementation, specifically related to adolescent health. She has managed a portfolio of projects focusing on youth confidentiality, sexual and reproductive health, marijuana use, and tobacco control. As Manager of Suicide Prevention at the American Academy of Pediatrics, she focuses on youth suicide prevention, educating pediatricians and support teams on clinical and community suicide prevention strategies. This includes screening youth for suicide, assessing risk and areas of support, and building and sustaining clinical-community relationships using the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention, www.aap.org/suicideprevention.

In addition to suicide prevention, she is passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and strives to incorporate these principles into her my personal and professional endeavors. She currently serve as co-chair for AAP Cares, a staff-driven group that focuses on service and equity, and as a member of the AAP Equity Implementation Team. She previously served as Chair of the AAP Staff EDI Council (2019 - 2022) as well as the AAP EDI Engagement Committee (2022 - 2023).

Jessica Leffelman, BS, is a Manager of ECHO Initiatives at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Her role includes the development, coordination and implementation of ECHO program activities as well as assisting with the dissemination of program findings. Ms. Leffelman has worked on over 15 ECHO programs at the AAP for multiple different topics including substance use, telehealth care, suicide prevention, and COVID-19. Ms. Leffelman is committed to the development and management of ECHO programs that help advance child, youth, and adolescent health.

Quick Info

What: Webinar with Q&A
When: Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, 2–3 p.m. EST
Where: Virtual, Zoom
Registration: https://arcsapps.umassmed.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=MCKJTMEAYDKM9NLA