A Health and Wellness Grant program provided by the Nate Chute Foundation is making a positive impact on the Whitefish School District this year by offering additional free mental health training for students, educators, staff and parents.  

Recently, 121 sixth graders and 67 ninth graders trained in a happiness-based course. In seventh grade, 71 students were trained in SOS (signs of suicide).  

The signs of suicide course is also implemented in other grades using Nate Chute Foundation licenses and is a crucial part of the organization’s programming across the Flathead, said executive director Brad Ray at the Whitefish School District board meeting last week.  

Also key for Whitefish’s Health and Wellness Grant is supplementary education for adults. A dozen school employees were trained in “Happiness for Educators,” and another 37 enrolled in the Montana Happiness Project. Eight enrolled in suicide prevention training.  

The happiness-driven courses for youth and adults are guided by “evidence-informed practice” and help people learn gratitude, Ray said. 

Journaling is a foundational skill taught in happiness training. 

“In journaling, you often start by writing down the things you’re struggling with,” he said. “The idea is, how do you get ahead of that, and instead start writing down the things you’re grateful for – the things that get you up in the morning?”  

Another recent victory by Nate Chute Foundation includes a new resource directory to be used to refer individuals to community resources, as part of a new program called People in Need of Services. 

People in Need of Services is still developing, but its premises are solid, Ray said. 

“People in Need of Services is an umbrella for all of the services that surround suicide, for those who’ve survived, those who may be connected to others... to provide outreach, a therapeutic space to share their concerns, their grief, their pain,” Ray said. “It’s really to provide a holistic arm wrap.”  

Ray explained that the program will help coordinate care and guide follow ups, emphasizing the importance of having one person as primary support. Nate Chute Foundation will also try to break down barriers that prevent a person from receiving support. 

People who are close to someone who has died of suicide is three times as likely to be a victim themselves, and a goal is to get ahead of that risk through a comprehensive approach, Ray said.  

“When we wrap around a model of positivity, and accessing people’s sources of strength, we can truly navigate the scary stuff and build upon the happy,” Ray said.  

The school board discussed the growth of mental health advocacy in the district since the pandemic, when teen suicides reached an all-time high. Trustees pointed to Whitefish High School’s Student Outreach Committee as a sign of lasting success.  

Trustee Elizabeth Pitman said she remembers where she was, as a sophomore in high school, when she heard of fellow Whitefish student Nate Chute’s passing 25 years ago.  

“We didn’t talk about it then. Seeing where it has come, is amazing, is mind blowing,” she said. “It’s truly a grassroots [effort].”