Suicide on a college campus, a need for prevention through policy and programs

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death for young adults. There is a need to identify the scope of this problem on college and university campuses and develop targeted programs, policies, and procedures. Methods: Data on student suicide deaths at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) was obtained and compared to age-specific State and National rates published by the Centers for Disease Control. Using the Jed Foundation Framework for Developing Institutional Protocols, a group of student government leaders (n=21) and a group of UNR administrators (n=20) reviewed the data, identified barriers to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, and developed recommendations. Results: Suicide rates for UNR students in 2006 (26.9/per 100,000) were much higher than 18-24 year old rates in Nevada (13.83/per 100,000) and the Nation (12.21/per 100,000). Administrators and student leaders identified a number of barriers, including: 1) a large commuter student population that may not access campus resources; 2) insufficient policies and procedures for dealing with distressed students; and 3) fear of liability and legal issues among faculty and administrators. Recommendations included: 1) creating a stronger “campus culture” with targeted programming for off-campus and incoming students; 2) implementing peer-based prevention programs; 3) providing suicide training for faculty and administrators; and 4) establishing a task force to develop suicide protocols and procedures. Conclusions:Alarmingly high suicide rates on this University campus highlight the need for responsive programs, policies, and procedures. Including a diverse group of students and administrators in suicide prevention planning was a critical first step in this process.