Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Partners United for Student Mental Health (PUSMH), in partnership with four community mental health organizations, will offer a comprehensive and complete mental health and substance abuse program of screenings, assessment, treatment and transition back to school for our at-risk students. Purdue University Fort Wayne is located in Northeast Indiana in the center of a mental health shortage area (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). A tobacco- and alcohol-free campus, it serves a student enrollment of over 10,000. PUSMH will serve the entire campus, but with a focus on at-risk students comprised of those identified through the use of a survey instrument developed by the Principal Investigator as well as Military Veterans, members of sexual minority groups (sexual orientation and gender identity and expression), members of Racial and Ethnic minority groups, first generation college students, and non-traditional (e.g., returning adults) students. We are partnering with four (4) community organizations to strengthen linkages with our campus and provide a comprehensive program of screenings for depression, anxiety, and substance use/abuse, referral for more extensive assessment, and referral for treatment, and a plan for re-integrating students into school after treatment. Utilizing the PI and Program Manager plus a Substance Abuse Specialist and treatment providers from our partner organizations, we will offer monthly voluntary screenings (PHQ-9, GAD-7, CAGE) for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse; full mental health and substance abuse assessments and referrals for treatment. Treatment will be conducted by providers from our partner organizations. Students will be tracked through the system from initial screening, through assessment and treatment and return to school, if appropriate. For those students missing significant school due to treatment needs, transition teams will be assembled to help those students re-integrate back into classes and campus life. Data will be collected at each phase to track the student’s progress through the use of self-scoring of the relevant tool (PHQ-9, GAD-7, or CAGE) plus clinical data obtained from the treatment provider. These data will be de-identified and coded to protect confidentiality as per HIPAA, PPA, and OHRP requirements. We propose to serve a minimum of 1000 students per year at varying levels of intervention for 3000 for the life of the funded project. Finally, based on evaluation data, a continuation plan will be developed by the projects Advisory Committee.
Grantee Types: Garrett Lee Smith Campus
Pomona College
The Claremont Colleges Suicide Prevention Project (TCC-SPP) The Claremont Colleges (TCC or 7Cs) is a consortium
of seven institution with a shared counseling center. Each institution has developed individual approaches to educate
students and their campus communities about substance abuse, suicide prevention, and mental health. TCC and
Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services (MCAPS) recognize that there are an increasing number of students
arriving on campus emotionally underprepared for higher education. Pomona College will be the lead college for this
consortial application. The goals of this project are to develop a coherent comprehensive mental health network to
decrease suicides, suicide attempts, and high-risk behaviors such as substance use. We propose to develop consistent
mental health policies and procedures across TCC, building on the JED Campus Mental Health Model. The project
also aims to increase help-seeking behaviors and increase campus and community capacity to identify and support
students at risk for suicide. Currently, there are approximately 6,000 undergraduates and 2,562 graduate students,
with 57.6 percent female and 42.4 percent male students. MCAPS is experiencing increased demands in services.
Last academic year, one of the TCC experienced a substance use overdose, one suicide, and seventy four alcohol related
hospitalizations. The proposed project aims to strengthen TCC network infrastructure by
(1) Developing more shared resources and programs to increase gatekeepers, to raise mental health and substance abuse awareness,
and to enhance resources that destigmatize help seeking for the approximate 8,562 TCC students
(2) Establishing a JED Campus Advisory Committee with a particular focus on students of color, veterans, first-generation, low-income,
and DACAmented students
(3) Strengthening our clinical provider referral network in the surrounding community by developing a feedback system and a brochure for local hospitals with TCC pre-and post-hospitalization education
(4)Developing and implementing a common peer-based gatekeeper training for faculty, students, and staff to respond
effectively to students with mental and substance use disorder, particularly for first-year students at orientations across
all seven campuses
(5) Fostering targeted collaborations with offices serving specific identity groups in order to create
culturally appropriate training for these groups to identify students at risk
(6) Partnering with student organizations to raise suicide prevention awareness and create a social media campaign to link substance use and mental health.
Online support programs and outreach workshops to help students develop positive coping strategies and resiliency
will complement these activities by implementing TAO and Morneau Shepells International Student Support Program
for international students. We will increase the knowledge of available on-and-off campus resources, with particular
emphasis on the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Objectives will be assessed through annual tracking of numbers
of individuals attending gatekeeper and outreach activities. Our overall intent in implementing TCC-SPP is to shift the
culture of TCC toward a more engaged and responsive awareness that each student matters and is part of a caring
community.
Pensacola State College
Pensacola State Crisis Action Referral Effort for Students (CARES), serves all Pensacola State College (PSC) students in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in NW Florida, including First-Generation-in-College (FGIC) and athletes, but targets military veterans, their family members, and the LGBTQ+ population. The College’s diverse population of students, faculty, and staff will benefit from increased collaboration resulting in the development and delivery of education and awareness materials, and an enhancement of the referral mechanism for at-risk individuals to receive quality treatment services. The overarching goal of the proposed project is to prevent suicide of students attending Pensacola State College and their family members. The objectives of this project are to: 1) update the Crisis Response Protocol; 2) provide clinical services through an on-campus provider, as well as developing clear referral protocols with at least three local mental health providers through Memorandums of Understanding; 3) engage at least 10 community agencies to strengthen the Escarosa Suicide Prevention Coalition and complete a community-wide strategic plan; 4) provide at least 200 (600 over three years) PSC students, faculty and staff each year with training on suicide prevention, mental health and/or substance use disorders; 5) increase in-person opportunities for student to participate in online mental health screenings, as well as promote remote access to such screenings; 6) disseminate awareness and educational information about mental health, substance use disorders, and suicide prevention at no less than 15 on-campus events, reaching at least 500 faculty, staff, and students per year (1500 over three years); 7) provide on-campus trauma-informed clinical services to at least 50 students each year (150 over 3 years); 8) develop a Student Peer Support Network, training at least five students as peer support specialists; and 9) participate in the JED Campus consultation process, resulting in additional measurable objectives applied within a strategic plan to propel the project beyond the grant cycle, with fully sustainable goals within a comprehensive, collaborative, well-coordinated, evidence-based plan. This project will allow PSC to enhance and increase the capacity of an infrastructure that will promote education and awareness. It is estimated that a minimum of 2250 students, faculty, and staff, in addition to family and community members will receive formal education/training annually on suicide prevention and mental health and substance abuse issues through print materials, seminars/workshops, guest speakers, and social media.
Oswego
The SUNY Oswego Campus Mental Health Development Project intends to engage in the development and coordination of outreach, screening and enhanced therapy supports to reduce suicide risk on campus. This will achieved through the development of working agreements with local community service providers, training for campus staff, and suicide and substance abuse screening of students.
Oregon State University
The overall goal of this project is to create an effective and sufficient suicide prevention infrastructure for the OSU-Cascades campus in order to promote student mental health and to identify, support and refer students at risk of suicide and alcohol and substance abuse. Four goals are important to this project: (1) enhance mental health services for all college students, including those at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness and/or substance abuse; (2) prevent mental and substance use disorders; (3) promote help-seeking behavior and reduce negative public attitudes; and (4) improve the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can successfully complete their studies. Key strategies include the development of policies and procedures to assess, support, and treat students at high risk of suicide and alcohol and substance use disorders; development of linkages between University services, crisis support, and behavioral health services provided by the broader community; the creation of web-based information and supports; training in suicide prevention and alcohol and substance abuse prevention for faculty, students, and administrators; and specialized training for our mental health counselor in the assessment and management of suicidal risk.
Old Dominion University
This proposal, entitled Implementing a Social-Ecological Suicide Prevention Program (SESPP) at Old Dominion University (ODU), adopts a public health approach to suicide prevention among 24,000 college students. The program seeks to build sustainable infrastructure at ODU to enhance mental health service provision, improve campus-wide mental health-related attitudes, and reduce college student stress, suicide risk and substance abuse. Populations Served: The following specific groups are served across SESPP program components:
- faculty, staff, and administration;
- at-risk student groups (e.g., military, LGBTQ, students with disabilities);
- students experiencing stress, mental health and/or substance use concerns;
- police officers, and;
- a range of Norfolk, VA area community partners (e.g., VA Medical Center, LGBT Center).
Strategies/Interventions: A number of programs will be implemented to serve ODU stakeholders. First, an integrated Campus-Community Suicide Prevention Taskforce will be assembled to formulate a strategic plan, establish a regional campus-community referral network, and provide other project guidance. Second, a campus awareness program will be instituted, including weekly emails, campus flyers, a mental health resources website, and free on-campus mental health screenings. Third, Counseling Services and Student Health service providers will receive a series of trainings in evidence-based practices (e.g., brief psychotherapies). An annual undergraduate suicide prevention course for health professions students will augment training efforts. Fourth, QPR and Safe Talk gate-keeper trainings will be implemented for all stakeholder groups. Finally, a series of campus outreach programs (i.e., LGBTQ Safe Space, military Green Zone, and Life Skills Training) will be conducted on campus.
Project Goals & Objectives:
- Goal 1 holds the objectives to enhance suicide prevention skills among 20 health service providers and 75 total undergraduate health professions students.
- Goal 2 features the objective to provider gate-keeping training for a total of 480 students, staff, faculty, administrators, and police officers.
- For Goal 3, the awareness campaign holds objectives to reach 6,000 students, family members, staff and faculty through electronic means, as well as 300 students via free on-campus mental health screenings. Goal 4 addressing at-risk groups possesses the objectives to educate 100 students, faculty and staff via outreach programming each on LGBTQ concerns and military student needs.
- Goal 5 holds the objectives to add a total of 9 community members to the Campus-Community Taskforce, and implement a referral resource network.
- Goal 6 seeks the following student well-being objectives: 5% reduction in financial stress, 10% reduction in mental/emotional difficulties impacting academic work, 3% decrease in 12-month self-harm prevalence, 2% reduction in 12-month prevalence of suicidal ideation, 5% reduction of binge drinking, 10% increase in student willingness to use health services, and 10% reduction in suicide-related stigma beliefs. Goal 7 holds the objective to establish a campus-wide suicide prevention strategic plan.
Ohio Northern University
ONU is requesting funds to enhance infrastructure, awareness, and education related to mental health and substance use disorders on the ONU campus. These disorders can cause serious consequences including suicidal behavior, injury, or school failure. This project will enhance services in an effort to prevent mental and substance use disorders and increase help-seeking behaviors to protect ONU students and help students successfully complete their studies. ONU’s students, faculty, and staff is the population to be served, with an emphasis on LGBTQ, racial/ethnic minority, veteran, and athlete students. ONU has 3,088 students, 2,312 of whom are undergraduates. Of all students, 5% are international, 77% are white, 4% are African-American, 9% are of unknown race, and students of other races comprise under 3% each. ONU has 489 first-generation college students and 10 veterans receiving benefits, and the university hosts degree-seeking and exchange students from 23 countries. Unfortunately, ONU has seen an increase in
- Student of- concern referrals,
- the percentage of students presenting for counseling with suicidal ideations, and
- the number of ER visits and hospitalizations for suicide ideation, attempts, or substance use crises.
In 2016-17, 11% of the student body requested counseling services on campus. ONU’s GLS Project has three goals with nine objectives, in summary:
Goals:
- equip the campus to assist students at risk for mental health problems and/or suicidal behavior;
- Increase protective factors in students;
- increase collaborations with local behavioral health care providers and community stakeholders.
Objectives: increase awareness of mental and substance use disorders by 20%; increase the percentage of faculty and staff trained to respond effectively to students at risk of mental and/or substance use disorders over years two and three by 10% and 25%, respectively; increase the percentage of Residence Life student staff trained to respond effectively to students at risk of mental and/or substance use disorders by 75% and 100%, respectively; increase the number of outreach efforts on mental and substance use disorders by 10%; increase the percentage of students who complete mental and substance use disorder screenings by 25%; increase involvement with student organizations/groups by 25%; increase the number of activities on campus to educate students and reduce negative attitudes about mental and behavioral health disorders by 15%; increase student satisfaction rate of behavioral health care providers by 25%; and increase involvement with public and private entities trained in behavioral health care by 10%. It is estimated that 770 students will be reached each year.
Notre Dame College of Ohio
The Notre Dame College Counseling Center is requesting support to implement a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy for the benefit of its students, faculty, and staff called iThrive@NDC. This will be implemented with the collaboration of local partners and include suicide prevention and mental health promotion training, voluntary annual mental health and substance use screenings, and provide students with more options to encourage help seeking behavior. iThrive@NDC will take place in South Euclid, Ohio and will target its efforts towards the mental health challenges facing minority students, first generation college students, and students with learning differences.
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri Stated University (Northwest) is home to 6,338 undergraduate and graduate students. It is located in Maryville, Missouri which is situated in the northwest corner of the state. It is a rural area (population 11,900) located in the center of Nodaway County. The closest metropolitan area is Kansas City, approximately 95 miles to the south. Northwest has recognized the need to identify, intervene, and treat our at-risk population while supporting the growth and resiliency of the entire Northwest community. The need to develop and enhance the current infrastructure to identify and support all college students, especially those with both identified and unidentified mental and substance use disorders in addition to suicidal behavior, has never been greater. While Northwest is currently utilizing a number of best practices in suicide prevention, there is a need to continue with, and expand upon, current interventions. Northwest staff have reviewed mental health, suicide, and substance use data, both campus specific as well as regional/national information. Ongoing interaction with Northwest and community stakeholders continues to be informative regarding collaborative ways to deliver timely, effective, and meaningful services. The program goals are founded in best practice and when implemented together will inform Northwest policy and processes surrounding student mental health.
Based on the Suicide Prevention and Resource Center (SPRC) model, focus will be placed on the four areas of
- Identify and Assist,
- Increase Help-Seeking,
- Connectedness, and
- Life Skills and Resilience, all under the umbrella of “Hope 4 All”.
The target population of this proposal will include high-risk groups at Northwest; however, recognition of the need to support resiliency and growth among all Northwest students is paramount to the work of changing the current trajectory of the ever-expanding mental health and substance use disorder needs of students.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Enhancing Services and Partners for Suicide Prevention: Aggie Gatekeepers