In 1999, the lives of four women, Lisa Hurka Covington, Lee Tolzman, Betty Schmedes, and Marie McLaughlin, were brought together at a meeting they never expected to or wanted to attend; a support group of survivors in the Baltimore, Maryland area who lost a loved one to suicide. Under the leadership of Lisa Hurka Covington, they organized the advocacy group, SPEAK (Suicide Prevention Education Awareness for Kids).

• Getting the Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline Number on student photo id cards, beginning with Baltimore County. Since then, we have now added Baltimore City and six other counties. We continue to expand this project throughout the state.


• SPEAK advocated for the placement of phones and the Maryland Crisis Hotline number on the Bay Bridge and Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland in order to prevent suicide by jumping. Several bridges in Southern Maryland have also followed suit and we continue to move forward with this endeavor.


• SPEAK was the liaison between Delegate Simmons who co-sponsored HB740, Safe Schools Reporting Act 2004, with Governor Ehrlich's office; pushing for the first time bullying legislation that was passed successfully in Maryland.


• We continue our community outreach by speaking to various groups, including police, schools, emergency rooms, medical professionals, faith based organizations, the political arena, as well as offering assistance to survivors.


• We also provide a survivors panel each year for the Maryland's Annual Suicide Prevention Conference.
  In 2008, SPEAK was acknowledged for its dedication to creating a "culture of hope."


• Maryland Delegate Susan Aumann sponsored HB973, Public Schools - Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline - Distribution of Information, for SPEAK which was passed in 2010. This is the first suicide prevention bill to be passed since 1986.