College Campus Toolkits
It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 suicides that occur on college campuses each year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth age 15-24 in the United States and in South Dakota. Some of the identified risk factors for suicide in college students include behavioral health conditions, especially depression, along with hopelessness and stress. Some students struggle with the transition to the college environment, and can experience academic or social pressures, feelings of failure or alienation, and a lack adequate coping skills needed to be successful in college.
For more information about college students and suicide, visit our page on College Students.
Below there are several resources listed that can be very helpful for colleges and universities in the prevention of suicide.
JED’s Comprehensive Approach
This link is a comprehensive, public health approach to promoting emotional well-being and preventing suicide and serious substance abuse. JED’s programs are grounded in our Model for Comprehensive Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities. This evidence-based model can be used to assess efforts currently underway on campus in order to identify existing strengths and areas for improvement.
A Guide to Campus Mental Health Action Planning
This free resource guide helps college and university professionals develop a comprehensive plan to promote the mental health of their campus communities and support students who are struggling emotionally or distressed.
Listed below are some of the valuable resources available from the JED Foundation:
- http://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/help-friend-need “Help A Friend In Need” is a community guide for Facebook and Instagram users to help college students and young adults identify potential warning signs that a friend might be in emotional distress and how to find help.
- http://www.transitionyear.org/ The JED Foundation and the American Psychiatric Foundation partnered on an online resource aimed at helping to ensure the smooth, safe and healthy transition of teenagers from high school to college.
ULifeline
An anonymous, confidential, online resource center, where college students can be comfortable searching for the information they need and want regarding mental health and suicide prevention. ULifeline features campus-specific information like counseling center locations and hours, and an anonymous mental health self-evaluator.
Mental Health is Health
Through online, on-air and live events, the JED Foundation and MTV raise awareness about mental health issues and connect people to the appropriate resources to get help. Half of Us features a library of videos of public service announcements, students and celebrities talking about important issues like depression, suicidal thoughts, prescription drug abuse, student veterans, anxiety and eating disorders.
Love is Louder
Love is Louder was started by the JED Foundation, MTV and Brittany Snow to support anyone feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone. It is a movement of all types of people who have come together to raise the volume around the message that love and support are louder than any internal or external voice that brings us down. Individuals, communities, schools and organizations have embraced Love is Louder as a way to address with issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness and depression.
Postvention: A Guide for Response to Suicide on College Campuses: The Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA), a partnership of organizations dedicated to providing leadership to advance college mental health, created this guide as an answer to the imperative need for strategies to help colleges and universities effectively and sensitively respond to campus deaths, should they occur.