Turn 2 Us (T2U) is a school-based mental health program created in partnership by NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Derek Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation, and public elementary schools in Washington Heights/Inwood and Crown Heights.
Turn 2 Us was developed in 2001 in response to:
- High rates of referrals from local elementary schools to the pediatric children's psychiatric emergency room*
- Community stressors—such as poverty, low-quality housing, adverse childhood experiences, and immigration-related challenges—associated with at-risk behaviors and mental health disorders
* According to data from the Children's Hospital Association, during the first three quarters of 2021, there were over 47,000 mental health visits to Emergency Departments at 38 children's hospitals in the country. These numbers demonstrate a 40% increase compared to December 2020.
