An Eagle Scout project that brought together mental health agencies with Miami County Park District promotes mental health crisis support by posting signage with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number and positive affirmations throughout Miami County.
Eagle Scout Candidate Piper Jackson of Troy conceived of a project to place signage promoting the 988 Crisis Lifeline in public spaces, to raise awareness of the resource. She reached out to Brad Reed, Associate Director and Chief of Community Engagement at the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services. Reed had previously worked with the Miami County Park District to place mental health-related Mindfulness signage along several bikeways, and connected Jackson to Miami County Park District Executive Director Scott Myers.
“The connection between quiet, green spaces and good mental health is well-established,” Myers said. “When Piper came to us with this proposal we were immediately interested.”
Jackson and Park District staff toured the parks and identified appropriate locations for the signage. Jackson also designed the signage using the official logo for the 988 Crisis Lifeline, and created four versions of affirmations: “You Matter,” “There is Hope,” “You Are Not Alone,” and “Life is Better With You.”
Jackson chose the project because she has been impacted by the suicide of a classmate’s brother, as well as others in the community, and has come to understand the need for people to have someone to call when they are having trouble seeing the light of hope. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a 24/7 talk or text line staffed by licensed mental health professionals. Calls are anonymous, and 80 percent of calls resolve the crisis while on the phone, according to statistics provided by the Tri-County Board.
“We immediately got behind this project when Piper first reached out,” Reed said. “The 988 Crisis Lifeline is still relatively new, so we look for opportunities to promote it. We had worked with the parks before and this was a natural fit.”
Because he provides administrative support for NAMI Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, Reed was able to get approval from the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to pay for the production of the 8-by-10-inch aluminum signs, using grant funds the chapter had recently received. “It was fortunate timing,” Reed said. “NAMI Ohio had just made these funds available to us, and this project fits perfectly with the mission to promote mental health and support families in crisis.”
Jackson has been a Scout in Troop 5788 in Troy since 2019. Her troop is active in the Scouting America curriculum and will be completing their second 50+ mile backpacking adventure in the Scout’s Philmont High Adventure Camp this coming summer (2026). Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) has been allowing girls to join since 2019 as single gender-troops (boys’ troops separate from girls’ troops) and work towards the Eagle Scout rank. This change was implemented to provide families with more inclusive options and was formalized by the organization's name change to Scouting America.
Eagle Scout Candidate Piper Jackson of Troy conceived of a project to place signage promoting the 988 Crisis Lifeline in public spaces, to raise awareness of the resource. She reached out to Brad Reed, Associate Director and Chief of Community Engagement at the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services. Reed had previously worked with the Miami County Park District to place mental health-related Mindfulness signage along several bikeways, and connected Jackson to Miami County Park District Executive Director Scott Myers.
“The connection between quiet, green spaces and good mental health is well-established,” Myers said. “When Piper came to us with this proposal we were immediately interested.”
Jackson and Park District staff toured the parks and identified appropriate locations for the signage. Jackson also designed the signage using the official logo for the 988 Crisis Lifeline, and created four versions of affirmations: “You Matter,” “There is Hope,” “You Are Not Alone,” and “Life is Better With You.”
Jackson chose the project because she has been impacted by the suicide of a classmate’s brother, as well as others in the community, and has come to understand the need for people to have someone to call when they are having trouble seeing the light of hope. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a 24/7 talk or text line staffed by licensed mental health professionals. Calls are anonymous, and 80 percent of calls resolve the crisis while on the phone, according to statistics provided by the Tri-County Board.
“We immediately got behind this project when Piper first reached out,” Reed said. “The 988 Crisis Lifeline is still relatively new, so we look for opportunities to promote it. We had worked with the parks before and this was a natural fit.”
Because he provides administrative support for NAMI Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, Reed was able to get approval from the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to pay for the production of the 8-by-10-inch aluminum signs, using grant funds the chapter had recently received. “It was fortunate timing,” Reed said. “NAMI Ohio had just made these funds available to us, and this project fits perfectly with the mission to promote mental health and support families in crisis.”
Jackson has been a Scout in Troop 5788 in Troy since 2019. Her troop is active in the Scouting America curriculum and will be completing their second 50+ mile backpacking adventure in the Scout’s Philmont High Adventure Camp this coming summer (2026). Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) has been allowing girls to join since 2019 as single gender-troops (boys’ troops separate from girls’ troops) and work towards the Eagle Scout rank. This change was implemented to provide families with more inclusive options and was formalized by the organization's name change to Scouting America.
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