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Greg Hudnall explains how Hope Squads work in schools during the School Safety Summit at Edgemont Elementary on Monday, April 23, 2018, in Provo.

Evan Cobb, Daily Herald file photo

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Greg Hudnall, second on left, meets with a group discussing youth suicide prevention in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 27, 2023.

Courtesy Greg Hudnall

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Greg Hudnall, in an undated photo.

Courtesy photo

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On an evening in 1997, Greg Hudnall, then a principal at a Provo school, was called by police to come and identify a student who had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The boy was 14. It was the fourth suicide the principal had experienced.

That night, after many tears and throwing up, Hudnall vowed he would not lose another student and he began training adults on how to read the signs of suicide in youth. He partnered with Brigham Young University, Wasatch Mental Health and other organizations to form a program, meeting for two years and eventually founding Hope4Utah.

It was tested at “ground zero,” Hudnall said. “Timpview High School had four suicides. In the previous 12 years, there had been 14. Timpview has now gone 19 years without a suicide.”

After that, and because a fourth grader had committed suicide, Hope4Utah started a working model for elementary schools. In the years since, the organization’s Hope Squad program has spread all over Utah and beyond.

The western United States has the largest numbers of youth suicides, with it being the No. 1 cause of death in youth ages 10 to 18, according to Hudnall’s data.

Seeing the impact that Hope Squads could have, Hudnall retired and put all of his energy to the program. He called on friends and counselors he knew to join him. The program had the kick start it needed.

Hope Squads started first in Utah and now 70% of all schools in the state have the program. It then went to Wyoming and Alaska. At that point, Hudnall said the program blew up and has grown so fast in the U.S. and Canada that they are seeing 40-50 schools a month joining. There are now Hope Squad advisors in every state and hundreds of squads.

It is common that when a school class is asked how many know someone who has self-harmed or wanted to kill themselves all the hands raise up.

The Hope Squad program has been featured on ABC TV, NBC Nightly News and in People magazine.

Because of his success with the Hope Squad program, Hudnall is being recognized nationally as an authority on youth suicide prevention. On Sept. 27, he participated in a roundtable discussion on the subject, hosted by the White House’s Office of Public Engagement. Topics included advocacy efforts around suicide prevention initiatives, local community-based strategies to address rising suicide rates, and barriers facing youth in accessing mental health care today.

From his early days as principal of Independence High School until now, Hudnall says his biggest mission has been to help kids who are in need. He also wants others to build on what he and others started.

“You know how they say, ‘It takes a village’? Well, it takes all hands on deck to save a life.” Hudnall said. “We need to start talking about this.”

He recognized that not just parents or peers need to be involved and know the warning signs for suicide, but also all members of the community, work associates, clergy and more.

Hudnall is happy with the success of Hope Squads and more so because his travel calendar is full of places that are wanting to know more about them and what they are doing to not only educate but save lives.

If you know someone or you personally need help, call the three-digit suicide and crisis lifeline at 988. It is open 24 hours a day in English and Spanish. You may also call a national suicide help line at 1-800-273-8255.

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