Aspyre Wealth’s Chairman Stewart Koesten and his wife Dr. Joy Koesten feel responsible to help eliminate the stigma of mental illness. One way to accomplish this it via support of research into adolescent depression and suicide prevention. This year they awarded a professorship endowment to Dr. Shayla A. Sullivant. Dr. Sullivant’s research involved validation studies of the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions toolkit . Her research led to implementation of the suicide screening program at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Hospital, one of the first children’s hospitals to implement such screening.
Making a Difference
Inspired by Children’s Mercy Hospital’s work with local Blue Valley Schools to support children and families struggling with mental health challenges, they established the Koesten professorship, focused on supporting a researcher who is helping to make a difference in developmental and behavioral health, especially as it pertains to teenage depression and suicide prevention.
Read the full article in the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle.
Donations to support the Koesten’s professorship can be made at https://support.childrensmercy.org/give/280980/#!/donation/checkout. Donors should indicate “Joy and Stewart Koesten’s Professorship” under the “Other designation” tab.