A peer-to-peer mental health initiative aimed at reducing stigma and fostering well-being at Laguna Beach High School in California is showing initial positive signs of increased student safety and belonging, survey data shows.
Among the findings: 79% of Laguna Beach High School students surveyed this school year said they would feel comfortable meeting with a peer in the Student Support Collective about minor issues or concerns, up from 58% in 2024-25, according to results shared by school counselor Alexis Mele.
The 35-member group began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has evolved since. Its student members train over the summer to develop skills for recognizing distress, responding appropriately, and knowing when and how to connect students to outside experts, Mele said.
Helping students feel accepted by their peers
After a classroom lesson on bullying prevention led by the group and provided to all freshmen, 94% said they know where to find resources to support themselves or a peer, while 93% also know how to stand up for a peer.
The Student Support Collective creates “connections groups” of students who seem to have trouble connecting with peers, “without any hierarchy,” in hopes of them finding “their people,” said Megan Humphreys, a school social worker.
“We find that as students start to connect and learn about each other, they do start hanging out, outside of the connections group,” she said, citing the survey data. “That’s a big part of the work we do, supporting connection and belonging.”
And after participating in a “connections group” run by the collective, all participants felt both accepted by group members and more connected to the broader school community, while 87.5% felt comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with group members, according to data shared by Mele.
“We have taken the past few years to focus our mission,” Humphreys said. The goal is to train student leaders to "be the ears and eyes on campus. We’re training these leaders on how to look for signs of mental health distress.”
The Student Support Collective is mostly funded through the school and the Laguna Beach Unified School District, Mele said, although a parent volunteer-based local foundation called SchoolPower has provided “mini-grants” to help fund specific activities. Student Support Collective group members come into classrooms to lead group discussions and hold a monthly community picnic for anyone who would like to learn more and connect.
During the summer training, students learn the QPR international model for suicide prevention that teaches them how to ask the right questions, persuade someone to seek help, and refer them to the right support.
Developing connections, not ‘little counselors’
They learn how to put people at ease through verbal and non-verbal communication, practice empathetic listening, and to appreciate and internalize the importance of airtight confidentiality, so “peers know our students are safe to come to, and their information isn’t going to be spread,” Humphreys said.
“We make it clear that we’re not training them to be little counselors, or therapists, but to be that peer-to-peer connection — whether to connect students who are lonely, or do low-level emotional support, based on their own experiences of how to navigate social-emotional challenges,” she said.
Training is provided through the Orange County Department of Education, Humphreys said.
“They give great trainings on the signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, self-care strategies, and a big focus on reducing mental health stigma,” she said. “We know students are getting exposed to other students who have engaged in self-harm or have thoughts of wanting to die. Students don’t know what to do with that.”
While adults at the school certainly provide these supports, students are often in spaces that adults aren’t, whether that’s online or on social media, or in the back of a classroom, Mele said. “They’re able to say, ‘I noticed this kid posting something concerning,’ or, ‘I noticed this kid sitting alone at lunch. Maybe we should connect with them.’”
Mele and Humphreys have presented their work at conferences, and they’re always happy to share their thoughts with others, Mele said.
“The way we outline and structure our program is easy to take and replicate at other schools,” she said. “We have met with other schools to help them get started. It’s cool to see that happening at other sites.”
And at Laguna Beach, she added, “It’s been fun to see the students find their leadership.”
