A community committed to healing: JED’s work with the city of Palo Alto

In September 2025, the city of Palo Alto, California, partnered with The Jed Foundation (JED) to conduct a communitywide assessment of youth mental health and suicide prevention efforts in Palo Alto and to identify opportunities for the community to strengthen its approach. That work is part of a broader, ongoing commitment to healing and to helping every young person in Palo Alto feel supported, connected, and hopeful about the future. Today, the city is releasing the findings from that assessment, and JED is sharing an overview of what the process found and what it means for the work ahead.

The assessment drew on conversations with 53 teens and young adults across seven focus groups, and with 74 community members from 22 stakeholder groups, including city staff, school leaders, clinicians, first responders, nonprofit partners, and parents. The findings were paired with a review of national, state, and county data, along with local school survey results. Together they point to a community with genuine strengths to build on: engaged young people, committed city and school leadership, an active nonprofit sector, and strong community collaboration. 

Building on what’s already working

Focus group participants, including many Palo Alto teens and young adults, described building their own solutions, from peer-designed mental health apps to student-led advocacy campaigns. The city has already invested in meaningful infrastructure, including a psychological emergency response team; a teen center; programming across all five library branches; an existing suicide prevention policy; and Project Safety Net, a nonprofit dedicated to coordinating youth mental health efforts citywide. The assessment also found that the community mobilizes quickly to offer support in moments of crisis, a reflection of how deeply the community cares for its young people.

JED’s recommendations focus on helping the city connect its existing strengths in a more coordinated, sustained system — one built to prevent crises before they happen, rather than respond after the fact. It is a natural next step for a community that has already demonstrated its commitment to this work.

Setting realistic expectations

A findings report of this kind is intended as a starting point for planning and prioritization, not a checklist to complete all at once. Some recommendations reflect efforts already underway; others represent longer-term investments that will require time, funding, and coordination across multiple agencies. JED will continue to work alongside city and school leaders to review the recommendations, identify near-term priorities, and build a realistic timeline for implementation.

“The city of Palo Alto is working collaboratively with the school district, local community-based organizations, youth, and their families to build a stronger mental health safety net,” said Dr. Katie Hurley, Vice President of Community Initiatives at JED. “Though they have faced great loss, Palo Alto is determined to work together as a community to help youth and young adults thrive.” 

What’s ahead

The next phase of the partnership will include the development of a postvention guide focused on how the Palo Alto community responds in the aftermath of a loss to suicide. In the coming weeks, the city will also host several public conversations tied to this work, including a Community Postvention Conversation on Aug. 11 and an It’s OK to Say Suicide workshop on Aug. 12, alongside continued discussion through the City Schools Liaison Committee. Community members are encouraged to take part as the next phase of the partnership moves forward.

JED thanks everyone in Palo Alto who contributed their time and experience to the assessment, and looks forward to continuing the work alongside the city, its schools, and its community partners in the months ahead.

Learn more about Palo Alto’s work with JED at PaloAlto.gov/JED.