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From Left to right: Marshall Faulk, Dr. Jennifer Salerno, Dr. Loretta Dumontet, Kyle Viator, Carl Rashid.
J&B Medical, Possibilities for Change and AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana Join NFL Legend Marshall Faulk for “Huddle for Health”
Earlier this month, during Super Bowl week in New Orleans, J&B Medical, a leader in healthcare technology, proudly shared its collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Salerno, Founder and CEO of Possibilities for Change (P4C), Dr. Loretta Dumontet, Behavioral Health Medical Director at AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, and NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk.
Carl Rashid, Corporate Affairs and Business Development at J&B Medical joined youth health advocates and NFL Alumni Health for its “Huddle for Health” symposium on February 4, 2025. “Rising Together: A Game-Changing Movement to Improve Youth Mental Wellness” explored the importance of schoolwide mental health screening as part of a growing nationwide movement to improve youth mental health.
Rashid articulated the mission: “We know that social media can create a false narrative for kids, making them feel like their lives are lacking. We want to break down those barriers and show kids that they’re not alone. Our technology isn’t just about screening; it’s about supporting kids with real interventions and resources.”
Dr. Jennifer Salerno explained: “We do a lot of research, we find out a lot of really good things, but then how do we get that to the people that really need it? We worked with a trauma expert to take trauma-informed practices, as well as health equity framework, and put that into a technology that’s responsive to both.” Salerno continued, “What we’ve done with this technology is really use those principles to engage youth with images, with audio. They see one question at a time to help them really focus in on what they’re being asked. They’re more honest, they feel supported at the end.”
The Importance of Early Intervention in Youth Mental Health
Youth mental health is a growing crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1 in 3 youth suffers from persistent feelings of sadness, while 1 in 6 has made a suicide plan. These statistics highlight the urgency of taking action to support youth mental wellness.
Loretta Dumontet, MD, Behavioral Health Medical Director at AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana shared holistic family psychologist Ashleigh Warner’s quote: “Beneath every behavior there is a feeling. And beneath every feeling there is a need. And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior, we begin to deal with the cause, not the symptom.”
Dumontet continued: “That’s the goal here—intervening early to help the child before the behaviors get worse and the consequences more severe.”
Marshall Faulk Shares His Journey: “I Was One of the Lucky Ones”
At the symposium, Marshall Faulk shared his personal journey, underscoring the importance of at least one trusted adult—which 1 in 4 youth report not having—and the critical role that early mental health interventions can play.
“Growing up, coming from nothing, not having access to the best healthcare—you don’t understand where to get help … I shared with the coach … the things that I was feeling, what I was going through, and he coached me more than just on the football field — he started coaching me in life. He suggested, ‘You should speak with a therapist.’” Faulk continued, “And at the age of 21, while I was a millionaire, not happy with who I was becoming, I sought out and got help. I started to realize in those times when as I was going through my therapy, it was stemming back from things as a kid, things that as a kid that when you grow up in a poverty-stricken community, these are things that you just tough through.”
Radical Partnership Makes Schoolwide Screening Possible and Meaningful
By combining strong clinical expertise, cutting-edge technology, and broad collaboration—what Salerno calls “radical partnership”—J&B Medical, P4C, and partners like AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana are equipping professionals, parents, and youth-serving organizations with evidence-based tools and real-time data to improve youth mental health outcomes.
Mary Shaya, CEO of J&B Medical, expressed her enthusiasm about the new collaboration, stating, “J&B is very excited to partner with AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana and Possibilities for Change to further our mission of giving all kids a healthy start and closing the health equity gap. J&B embeds health equity into all products and services provided across our great Country. Now more than ever, we must all unite to create awareness of mental health issues in our children and provide them with the support needed so every child receives a healthy start to their life”.
Real-World Results and Positive Outcomes Across the Nation
The Rising Together program, powered by ΛDΛM, empowers schools to screen K-12 students for a full range of mental health and other risks, ensuring timely interventions and personalized care for at-risk youth. As a complementary resource, Teen Speak® provides parents and caregivers with evidence-based tools and strategies to improve communication with their teens, fostering stronger relationships and creating a supportive environment for positive youth development.
According to data from ΛDΛM (Assessment Data Analytics Management) and user survey data:
• 42% of youth reported improvement to depressive symptoms following identification and intervention
• 40% of youth reported improvement to anxiety symptoms following identification and intervention
• 78% of parents/guardians reported confidence and comfort in talking through challenging situations with their teen after teen speak (+42%)
• 53% of parents/guardians reported feeling connected with their teen after teen speak (+18%)
These outcomes join a growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of schoolwide mental health screening. As the symposium demonstrated, early identification and personalized care can significantly improve outcomes for youth struggling with mental health issues.
A Nationwide Call to Action to Join the Movement to Help Our Youth
The symposium concluded with a powerful call to action: It’s time for schools, healthcare providers, policymakers, parents, champions and communities to unite in the movement to help youth live safer, healthier, more successful lives.
“What we’re embarking on here is a journey to raise youth mental health awareness. During the pandemic, kids were isolated and faced challenges that many of us couldn’t have imagined. And underserved communities were hit even harder. With this partnership, we’re focusing on giving kids the chance to understand that it’s okay to feel a certain way and that we’re here to help.”
Faulk added: “”We have to find ways to create a platform for them to stand up, to provide them with resources so that they can get the answers they need when they’re looking for them—when they don’t know where to go—and support them so they can live healthy lives.”
For more information on how to get involved and play your role in helping youth live safer, healthier, more successful lives:
• Visit jandbmedical.com
• Visit possibilitiesforchange.org and sign up for the mailing list to receive updates and access to critical resources.