Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University’s Mental Health Awareness and Prevention of Suicide (MAPS) Project proposes to improve identification of and response to suicidality and its antecedents within the Vanderbilt student population. The major goals of MAPS have been to refine the current on-campus network of student services and to develop educational materials and programs for students, their families and campus personnel. By uniting and marshaling the existing expertise and know-how on campus, the project has developed a “Gatekeeper” training program for students and campus personnel that will allow for a more effective response to students with mental or behavioral health problems. The MAPS program will enhance the university community’s knowledge on such issues as identifying risk factors for suicide, decreasing high-risk activities, promoting help seeking behaviors and providing easy access to such services. Additionally, MAPS provides web resources and linkage to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as part of the crisis response plan on campus. Community resources in the greater Nashville area that address suicide and mental health directly, the Jason Foundation, Tennessee Voices for Children (TVC) and the Tennessee Network for Suicide Prevention (TNSP), are assisting with the development of trainings and the implementation of MAPS at large.

The evaluation employs an open systems evaluation design (Cohen & Kibel, 1993), which facilitates “understanding the environment in which programs are implemented and tracking progress toward the achievement of specific program outcomes” (Julian, Jones & Deyo, 1995,p.334).

Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University will undertake a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention on the campus with community gate keepers and stakeholders. The College has formulated its own conceptual model called 3Rs based on best practices to govern the project philosophy and implementation. Multiple strategies and activities will be implemented, targeted at both the general campus population and identifiable at-risk populations over a three year time period. Engagement of key players in the college community in planning, assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation will be incorporated. The Project Director and a campus-based mental health services team of professional advisors and task forces will lead and implement the project. The following allowable activities will be utilized: (1) Training Programs; (2) Networking (institutional and broader community); (3) Educational Seminars; (4) Local and College-based Hotlines; (5) Informational Materials; and (6) Educational Materials for Families and Students. The major goals of the project are centered and aligned on informing, engaging, training and educating the community in best practices aimed at improving early recognition, treatment, help-seeking, and consistent care for the at-risk student population. The UV-CSI project further incorporates a comprehensive ongoing process evaluation and annual self and external evaluations as integral components of the project.

University of Wyoming

The Enhanced University of Wyoming (UW) Lifesavers Initiative aims to prevent suicide and suicide attempts via a comprehensive, collaborative, and coordinated approach that consists of education, training, outreach, and support. Key components include: (1) a campus-community coalition and networking/infrastructure-building with Wyoming community colleges; (2) educational strategies targeting the entire UW population, particularly military reservists and veterans, and students and faculty in health sciences; and (3) gatekeeper trainings.

The target populations for the Enhanced UW Lifesavers Initiative are gatekeepers. Specifically, efforts will be focused on training gatekeepers in the following areas: UW student population and particularly military reservists and veterans, students in pre-professional and professional health science majors (i.e. pre-med, nursing, pharmacy, medical), UW staff and health sciences faculty, and gatekeepers at Wyoming community colleges.

Specific program strategies include: (1) development of a chapter of Active Minds, a student-led peer education and support program; (2) educational seminars and informational materials for students, staff, faculty, and families; (3) a social marketing campaign; (4) gatekeeper trainings; (5) a campus-community coalition; and (6) a conference for Wyoming community colleges.

University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has adopted the goal of zero suicides. This goal will be accomplished through the creation of Hope Inspires, a multidisciplinary, integrative campus program aiming to prevent suicide by (1) building capacity to identify students at risk through training and education, (2) increasing the number of students who are willing to seek help by reducing stigma, and (3) developing a universal set of procedures to ensure consistent responding to students in crisis; all guided by the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Our program will be delivered to the 10,900 enrolled students, targeting high-risk groups such as our LGTBQ (16%), Veteran (3%), racial/ethnic minority (8%), and first generation (41%) students, as well as faculty/staff, parents, and community members.

The UWEC Hope Inspires program has four primary objectives driving our activities:

  1. Increase the amount of training provided on suicide prevention to all members of our campus, enhancing our capacity to identify and respond to students at risk.
  2. Increase collaboration among key campus and community entities dedicated to mental health promotion, recovery, and suicide prevention to deliver a consistent message that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
  3. Increase the number of educational events and informational materials promoting mental health and suicide prevention, including risk factors like depression and substance abuse, and the national suicide prevention lifeline.
  4. Reduce stigma and negative attitudes towards mental health/substance use disorders and under-represented groups (e.g., LGBTQ, Race/Ethnic Minority, Veteran/military) so that students increase their willingness to seek help.

With this funding, we aim to have all student leaders, 20% of students, and at least one member in each campus department/ organization gatekeeper trained and complete a stigma reduction program. We aim to train over 15 gatekeeper trainers, 4 individuals across campus trained as suicide prevention specialists, and have all direct service providers trained in evidence-based suicide assessment and intervention. We will provide information about mental health promotion and suicide prevention resources to our students and their parents via a multi-media/ advertising campaign, peer education/ outreach activities, a suicide prevention class, and suicide prevention speakers. This project utilizes numerous evidence-based programs, continuous program assessment to evaluate progress and processes ensuring excellent use of resources and impact, and was designed with long-term sustainability in mind to ensure that UWEC does not lose anyone to suicide.

University of Wisconsin Madison

The University of Wisconsin Madison (UW-Madison) is a comprehensive teaching and research university offering programs at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. Enrollment stands at over 42,000 students with over 7,000 of these students living in campus housing. The University Health Service provides integrated clinical, mental health counseling and consultation and prevention services to UW-Madison students. The Counseling and Consultation Services saw over 15,000 student visits in the last academic year. However, it is recognized that suicide is the second leading cause of mortality among college students. Further, it is widely acknowledged that many students experiencing depression and mental health concerns are not seeking the help that is available to them.

Because of a recognition that the University could do more to increase help-seeking behaviors among students with mental health concerns, staff within the University Health Services have submitted the present proposal to create a comprehensive suicide prevention program. To prepare this proposal, staff conducted a preliminary gap analysis of existing suicide prevention efforts using the Jed Foundation/Suicide Prevention Resource Center model. The program would support Project Director to coordinate the grant activities and would be supported through in-kind contributions from clinical, mental health counseling and prevention staff within the University Health Services. The major goals of the proposal are as follows:

  • Build the infrastructure to convene and sustain a campus/community Suicide Prevention Partnership Council.
  • Establish a sub-committee within the Suicide Prevention Partnership Council to identify and implement evidence-based practices to reach out to high risk populations, such as American Indians/Alaskan Natives, LGBTQ students, and military service members and veterans to increase help seeking behaviors.
  • Research and implement evidence-based practice around preparing university gatekeepers to more effectively identify students at risk of depression and suicidal ideation so that they refer these students to appropriate assistance and care.
  • Establish and support a peer education program that introduces more student voices to promote mental health awareness, education and advocacy on the UW-Madison Campus.
  • Implement a social marketing campaign aimed at both reducing the stigma of mental health issues and also promoting health seeking behaviors among UW-Madison students.
  • Review and implement evidence-based strategies to target alcohol abuse prevention efforts toward those at greater risk of suicide and mental health concerns.

University Of Wisconsin – Oshkosh

In 2005, the UW Oshkosh Counseling Center received the Garrett Lee Smith grant from SAMHSA to develop a Comprehensive Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Program, which fundamentally transformed the University’s approach to students experiencing mental and behavioral health problems which lead to depression, substance abuse, suicide attempts and academic failure. This collaborative effort focused on better meeting the needs of at risk populations and for whom the nature of this campus creates barriers to accessing care.

In the past three years, UW Oshkosh has witnessed an increase in binge drinking and hospitalizations for mental health issues and alcohol abuse. The thrust of the current grant is to provide UW Oshkosh with the opportunity to expand on the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Program, to develop and implement the Center for Balance wellness program, to mobilize an Alcohol Task Force and to continue increasing the campus? competency in working with distressed and marginalized students.

UW Oshkosh is at a critical point of beginning to internalize the mission of the grant into the university culture. There is still a need to develop a Clergy Network of local ministers and to increase collaboration with area hospitals to address continuity of care needs. These grant initiatives not only assist students to develop better coping skills, reduce substance abuse, and treat depression, but enhances student safety; and will make our students more academically successful and improve retention.

University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Suicide Prevention Project aims to prevent suicide attempts and deaths within the UWM student population by establishing infrastructures for delivering and sustaining effective mental health prevention, screening, and treatment services. This will occur through policy development; training, screening, and referral activities; creation of educational materials; and enhanced mechanisms for student engagement.

The UWM Suicide Prevention Project will target all members of the UWM student community. Located in Wisconsin’s largest and most racially diverse metropolitan area, UWM serves over 30,000 students; 91% of UWM students are Wisconsin residents, and 33% are local to the county that encompasses the campus. The racial and ethnic diversity of UWM’s student body indicates a significant presence of distinct cultural backgrounds and needs; the student population includes 915 international students, 2,175 African Americans, 141 American Indians, 747 Latino/as, and 1,467 Asians. Moreover, the student community maintains significant populations of high-risk groups, including those that have been identified by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. UWM’s National College Health Assessment data reveals that UWM students experience an array of mental health concerns, with nearly 9% of students indicating that they had seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months. Moreover, as an institution of higher education located in Wisconsin, with a student population consisting largely of in-state residents, suicide-related patterns among UWM students likely mirror those seen at the state level; suicide rates in the state of Wisconsin are higher than those seen nationally, with the state’s highest rates occurring among college-aged individuals.

The UWM Suicide Prevention Project seeks to enhance the capacity of current support networks and to ultimately produce a campus community that is prepared to act proactively to address the mental health needs of all represented populations and respond effectively to students in crisis. Specific program goals are to 1) follow crisis management procedures on campus; 2) increase the ability of members of the campus community to identify students at risk; 3) increase help-seeking behavior among students in need of services; 4) provide mental health treatment and emergency services to the student community; and 5) promote the development and maintenance of social networks among students. These goals will be accomplished via efforts to 1) institute crisis management procedures; 2) provide continuing education and support for campus gatekeepers; 3) offer and promote screening and referral via web-based self-screening tools, campus-wide and targeted screening events, and screening and referral protocols for medical appointments; 4) develop and disseminate educational tools for students and their families; and 5) engage UWM students in campus mental health awareness and advocacy.

University of West Georgia

The Program foR Evaluation, InterVention, Education, aNTreatment at the University of West Georgia (PREVENT@UWG) is a comprehensive program designed to prevent suicide and promote help-seeking behaviors for the general university population, and, most specifically, for students. PREVENT@UWG creates an opportunity to provide suicide prevention training to campus gatekeepers, who have recurring contact with students and are in the best position to make informed referrals. Specifically, PREVENT@UWG trains resident advisors, leaders of student organizations, and faculty and staff members, as well as first responders, to identify and respond to individuals who may be at risk for suicide, make appropriate and effective referrals, and break down barriers to help-seeking behaviors. PREVENT@UWG additionally delivers educational seminars, media campaigns, and outreach events designed to increase campus awareness of the issues surrounding suicide and to break down barriers to help-seeking behaviors. The program is supported by a Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs- (CACREP)-accredited counselor education program, a professionally staffed university counseling center, and a strong crisis response team. These fundamental supports combined with the model of preparing graduate students as the primary trainers assure the sustainability of PREVENT@UWG.

PREVENT@UWG was developed by a cross section of individuals from the campus community and is supported by a community- and campus-based Advisory Board, the members of which are all committed to suicide prevention while promoting mental and behavioral health awareness. Utilizing a developmental approach to teaching and outreach, PREVENT@UWG has the ability to impact its participants and recipients across scope and time. As evidenced by the PREVENT@UWG website, our staff has developed a comprehensive resource for our campus community which offers a wide variety of services, informational resources, and connections to campus suicide prevention and mental health initiatives for our students, their families, and our staff and faculty. The website focuses on the diverse needs of our campus community through a broad range of types of inclusion.

University of West Florida

The University of West Florida (UWF) is an accredited, regional, comprehensive, public university serving nearly 12,000 students in the Northwest Florida region. UWF has proposed Suicide Outreach and Support (SOS), an integrated, coordinated, multi-level program that includes universal prevention strategies aimed at the general campus population, targeting male and female students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and ages. Special emphasis will be placed on reaching gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) students and military-affiliated students, including active duty service persons, veterans, and military spouses and dependents. SOS is anticipated to provide an effective mechanism for early identification of students in trouble and effective response to their needs. Since 2008, UWF has experienced the suicides of eight students, creating a rapid awareness of the need for effective suicide prevention programming on our campus. Like most other campuses, UWF students report high levels of mental disorder and psychological distress. UWF is fortunate to have high-quality, integrated and coordinated mental health services, including 24-hour emergency services, available free of charge to students who present for treatment. Unfortunately, many individuals in acute crisis are not connected to mental health services, as highlighted by the completed suicides on our campus, none of which was connected to campus mental health care at the time of the suicide. Universal prevention strategies aimed at the campus at large and selective prevention strategies aimed at specific higher-risk groups are needed to reach the goal of building a solid foundation to deliver and sustain suicide prevention strategies to decrease suicide attempts and completed suicides among UWF students, with a special emphasis on GLBTQ and military-affiliated students.

The proposed project aims to increase:

1) training to students, faculty, and staff on mental health promotion and suicide prevention, including suicide warning signs and risk factors

2) collaboration among campus and community partners to deliver the message that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility

3) educational seminars and informational materials for students, faculty, staff, and family members on suicide prevention and identification and reduction of risk factors, such as depression and substance abuse

4) help-seeking among students and reduce stigma for seeking care for mental and behavioral health issues among students while increasing promotion of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The following activities will be implemented to achieve objectives:

a) QPR Gatekeeper Training, a training program that builds skills for recognizing suicide warning signs and responding effectively to them

b) a Suicide Prevention Coalition to coordinate, design, and review policies and procedures related to suicide prevention and crisis response

c) a Student Organization Network, to provide educational activities aimed at decreasing stigma associated with mental illness and help-seeking

d) a Social Marketing Campaign to increase student knowledge and awareness of suicide warning signs and risk factors, with linkage to national suicide hotline resources.

University of West Alabama

The purpose of the Campus Suicide Prevention Program (CSPP) at the University of West Alabama (UWA) is to educate and train both campus and community regarding the incidences of suicide among college students and develop an infrastructure linking students to the mental health services they need. Specifically, the CSPP is designed to increase community and campus awareness regarding suicide prevention and to communicate the message that suicide is everyone’s responsibility. The project will provide outreach and training to local mental health service providers, first responders, educators, and medical personnel and communicate how UWA deals with students who are a threat to themselves, including how to identify traits of those at risk for suicide, descriptions and discussions of the signs of depression and suicide, and how to communicate the campus’s suicide crisis plan to the broader community.Additionally, the project will develop a Peer Education program to provide patience, acceptance, belonging, and support to students in need. This approach will allow for better engagement of student participation in this project. The project will utilize Gatekeeper training for the campus and the community for those individuals who come in contact with our students on a daily or constant basis. Furthermore, since UWA has a strong online program, a component of the CSPP will be to provide training, outreach and support to online faculty and staff as well as develop secure opportunities for online students to participate in chat room and discussion board activities and a webinar regarding symptoms of depression and how to seek and find help.Finally, through the Screening for Mental health SMH website, students will have access to a confidential and private screening as a way to self-assess their mental health needs. The population to be served by this project is students enrolled at UWA. The services to be provided are education, training, and an opportunity to participate in peer education. Several agencies have offered their support to coordinate training and services. These are West Alabama Mental Health Center (Livingston, AL), Anderson’s Clinic (Livingston, AL), Weems Mental Health Center (Meridian, MS), and Wesley House Community Center (Meridian, MS). All of these agencies have committed to participation in training workshop, providing training if needed, and providing mental health services to those who meet eligibility requirements.