OUR RESULTS
To date, more than 750 Latina teens have enrolled in Life is Precious. With the help of LIP's services, their academic performance has improved– where once 50% of these young women were held back or dropped out of school, now almost 100% advance to the next grade on time. They have improved family relationships – finding the language, the support, and the approach with which to work out deep personal conflicts with parents and grandparents who struggle to understand what they are going through or what they need. They are making friends – finding support from girls who are going through the same battles that they are. They are feeling new pride in their bilingual, bicultural backgrounds.
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These results are validated through an evaluation which has been conducted, since 2013, by the NYS State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University - NYS Center of Excellence for Cultural Competence. Research shows that for every month a Latina teen participates in Life is Precious™ her level of suicide ideation and depression decreases. For Latina teens with a history of sexual abuse and/or drug and alcohol use, the decrease in suicide ideation and depression were more profound. Comunilife’s goal is to show that LIP is a community informed, evidenced based model of care. Researchers have completed Phase Two - control groups - where suicide ideation and depression levels among Latina teens who attend LIP were compared to Latina teens who only received traditional therapy at outpatient mental health clinics. Early findings show that, over a 12 month period, the Latina teens who also participated in Life is Precious™ had greater improvement than control group participants in outpatient mental health clinics on the SIQ (Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire) were statistically significant.
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You can read more about our programs from participants themselves:
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In the last decade, more than 750 Latina teens ages 12 to 17, have received services at
Life is Precious™, and not one has completed suicide!
Soleda
The program taught me that I’m not alone. Other girls get mad, just like me – and sometimes for the same reasons as me. When I see other girls opening up, I feel braver.
Destiny
If anything, God forbid, happened to any of us, it would hurt all of us. So we all take better care of ourselves.
Rosa
They know when you need help here – you don’t even have to tell them. They give you their hand. And then they give it again. They give it till you know they really mean it.