Joe’s Fund was established by the Bodine family in memory of Joe Bodine, a kind and charismatic 2015 graduate of Decatur High School. The Fund supports student behavioral health services that address substance abuse, foster positive mental health, and create safe spaces for students’ well-being.
Through Joe’s Fund and our Teacher Innovation Grants, DEF supports behavioral health in all of Decatur’s schools. Our grants have facilitated the installation of inclusive outdoor play areas, implemented innovative support for neurodiverse learners, such as adaptable seating options, and introduced mindfulness practices in all schools.
In order to make Decatur a more suicide-safe community, CSD utilizes the LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program, an evidence-based suicide intervention model. This program is for “natural helpers” and clinicians, and teaches participants how to recognize and intervene when needed, and to develop a collaborative safety plan to keep someone safe and alive.
This program is open to CSD employees, Decatur community members (anyone who lives or works within Decatur) and we welcome others from outside the Decatur City limits. Our goal is to raise awareness, create common language and destigmatize suicidality. Ultimately, our goal is to teach life-saving skills.
To date, almost 200 CSD teachers, staff, and community members have participated in this intensive two-day ASIST training through Joe’s Fund.
If you’re interested in becoming trained in suicide prevention, register HERE for the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). There are three sessions scheduled for the 2024-2025 school year. To submit your payment, (for participants who are not CSD employees or residents of the City of Decatur), please visit DEF’s ASIST Payment Portal.
Joe’s Fund has helped establish Decatur Student Centers at Decatur High School and Beacon Hill Middle School. These centers provide a safe space to address the behavioral health challenges faced by our youth, ranging from anxiety and depression to substance abuse. These spaces offer students a respite from the stresses of the school day, as well as individual and group sessions with dedicated counselors.
If you’d like to support student behavioral health in our schools, make a donation to Joe’s Fund today. We are grateful for your support!
No Ordinary Joe is the annual fundraiser for Joe’s Fund that happens in early May and features some of Decatur High School’s most talented singers and musicians. Enjoy an evening of live music under the stars in Waller’s Coffeehouse “Outer Space”. Please visit our Events page for information and ticket purchases.
If you’d like to support these and other student behavioral health initiatives in our schools, please make a donation to Joe’s Fund today. We are grateful for your support!