Albuquerque Public Schools
APS Peer Helpers Lead the Way in Supporting Student Mental Health
Student-led program reaches peers with suicide prevention and mental health resources.
Across Albuquerque Public Schools, students are stepping up to support one another through the district’s Peer Helper program, an extracurricular initiative focused on suicide prevention, mental health awareness and helping students know where to turn for support.
The program currently operates in 21 APS middle and high schools, where trained student Peer Helpers work alongside faculty sponsors to lead outreach projects, share resources and encourage help-seeking behaviors among their classmates.
Last year alone, APS Peer Helpers made more than 40,000 contacts with fellow students and community members, connecting them with important resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and other mental health supports.
Peer Helpers receive training in suicide prevention and mental health awareness, then lead monthly outreach activities and service learning events designed to support their school communities. The projects are student-led and focus on reducing stigma while making it easier for students to seek help.
At Cibola High School, Peer Helpers recently helped dedicate the first New Mexico Josh’s Bench, part of a national initiative by Josh's Benches for Awareness that places benches in schools and communities to symbolize a safe place to sit, talk and ask for help.
The dedication was part of the students’ service learning project and reflects the powerful role young people can play in supporting mental health and preventing suicide.
Across APS, Peer Helpers continue to make a life-saving difference by creating supportive spaces, sharing resources and reminding their peers that they are not alone.