Mental health is becoming a real concern in the U.S. Every year, the rate of teen and young adult suicide seems to rise. Some organizations try to combat this in many different ways, such as the Zero Reasons Why campaign and their recent Oak Park Mall store front. 

On their official Instagram, Zero Reasons Why said, “The #ZeroResonsWhy space is always open to the public to stop in and pick up resources, write an encouraging note or snap a photo and post it with out hashtag.” 

The organization spawned off the controversy of the Netflix show, “Thirteen Reasons Why.” The organization spreads awareness for teen sucide and the early warnings of depression with the goal of breaking the stigma around mental health and starting conversations. All the schools in Johnson county  have joined the cause to make sure their students are happy and healthy. This new storefront is near JC Penny and allowed anyone to grab a sticky note and write some encouraging words. 

Tim DeWeese, Director of the Johnson County Mental Health Center, told KCTV5 on the matter, “Unfortunately, [suicide] increased among young people at a more rapid pace and we see that not only just in Johnson County but across the nation. I think in Johnson County we wanted to look for a way the community could come together.” 

Being able to have easy access to advice and help can really change people’s lives. Many around the Overland Park area don’t have access to this help making it a great resource. 

When Zero Reasons Why first started, Fox 4 reported, “The goal is to set up a peer-to-peer network among teens to let them know they’re not alone and there are other teens willing to listen and talk. Another goal is to shatter the negative stigma surrounding mental health issues and bring a delicate issue into the light.”