THE PLAYERS starts outreach campaign with $1M for mental health in schools

THE PLAYERS Championship kicked off this season’s charitable outreach campaign Sept. 30 with a $1 million donation to Flagler Health Care Foundation at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach. The donation will go to help school-aged children who may struggle with mental health issues.

“Earlier this year, Flagler Health+ CEO Jason Barrett and Superintendent Tim Forson came to us to share data about the mental health needs in the county and his team’s interest and plans in building on the behavioral support services provided to St. Johns County Public School students,” PLAYERS executive director Jared Rice said. “He advised that the community where we host one of the world’s most recognized tournaments is a community where youth, at disproportionately higher rates, may be struggling in silence with depression. We certainly couldn’t stay silent.”

Rice said the donation would support the development of Be Resilient And Voice Emotions (B.R.A.V.E.) an initiative to improve the access to mental health support services in St. Johns County schools. He said the initiative would “make a significant and tangible difference in the lives of youth and families right here in our tournament’s backyard.”