Sources of Strength

CCAPSA is proud to promote the Sources of Strength program in 17 middle and high schools in the Cobb County School District. The Mission of the program directly aligns with CCAPSA’s values:

Our mission is to provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance misuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help and strength.

The Sources of Strength model identifies and strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times and circumstances get tough…they have strengths to rely on. One layer of support is adult advisors – a group of connected, caring, and positive campus-based adults whose goal is to support, mentor, and assist peer leaders in spreading hope, help, and strength-based messages across their friendship networks. These trusted adults are identified by a special picture on their classroom door. Sources of Strength Peer Leaders, in turn, are a diverse group of students who leverage their personal and collective leadership qualities, as well as their social influence, to impact multiple issues on campus.

In 2009 Sources of Strength was listed on the National Best Practices Registry by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) and The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). In 2011 Sources of Strength was listed on SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), the gold standard of prevention programs in the United States.

Through the support of the Atlanta Braves Foundation, CCAPSA is launching Sources of Strength in Marietta High School and Marietta Middle School. We look forward to engaging more adult advisors and empowering peer leaders to make a difference in the lives of our youth and keeping our community healthy and strong.