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Abstract #158043

Eileen F. Zeller, MPH¹, Nancy J. Davis, EdD², Cynthia K. Hansen, PhD², Richard McKeon, PhD, MPH², Gail F. Ritchie, MSW², and Danyelle Mannix³. (1) Center for Mental Health Services, Educational Services, Inc., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857, 240-276-1863, eileen.zeller@samhsa.hhs.gov, (2) Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857, (3) Department of Psychology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 321 As321 Asbury Building (South Wing), Washington, DC 20016-8062

The Fall 2005 National College Health Assessment found that during the past year, 60 percent of college students reported feeling hopeless, 42 percent said they felt so depressed they had difficulty functioning, and nearly 11 percent had considered attempting suicide. An estimated 1,088 suicides occur among college students each year (Silverman et. al., 1997). The complex problem of suicide and suicidal behaviors on campuses demands a multifaceted, collaborative, coordinated response. In 2005, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) provided 3-year grants to 21 institutions of higher education to help them prevent suicide and suicide attempts, and to enhance services for students with behavioral health problems that put them at risk for suicide or suicide attempts. Grantees build public health infrastructures by implementing activities such as conducting gatekeeper training; building early identification, crisis intervention, referral, and treatment networks between and among on- and off-campus resources; and providing suicide prevention education. This session presents a description of campus activities, major barriers encountered, and accomplishments. We also provide an analysis of “lessons learned” and unique successes as reported in grantees' first annual reports. Strategies for implementing activities varied across campuses, as did the specific populations targeted. Most grantees made considerable progress toward their stated goal for each activity implemented. However, a number of challenges did arise. Campuses also reported lessons learned in areas such as effective planning, constituency building, changing the campus culture and mentality regarding suicide prevention, and sustainability.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe activities that can be implemented as components of a campus suicide prevention program built on a public health model.
• Identify major challenges to implementing effective suicide prevention systems in campus settings.
• Discuss "lessons learned" regarding effective implementation of suicide prevention programs in campus settings.

Keywords: Suicide, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.