Suicide

Safeguarding Your Students Against Suicide

Expanding the Safety Net: Proceedings from an Expert Panel on Vulnerability, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Behavior on College Campuses

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-age students, with an estimated 1,088 occurring on campuses each year. M.I.T. and other universities have contended with lawsuits related to on-campus suicides and the services these institutions provide to students at risk.

In 2001, the Surgeon General released the first national suicide prevention strategy. As a follow up, NMHA and The Jed Foundation convened a panel of leading experts, Expanding the Safety Net: A Roundtable on Vulnerability, Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Behavior.

The report based on this roundtable was recently sent to more than 3,000 universities, and provides checklists and action plans to help administrators assess their campuses’ mental health needs in an effort to open a dialogue between universities, communities and mental health experts about this important issue.

Report highlights:

• Evaluation of the current research
• Overview of at-risk students
• Description of services necessary to address suicidal behaviors on campuses
• Checklist for administrators to evaluate current programs and identify their campus’s needs
• A call to action for administrators, campus communities and parents and families

For more information and/or referrals to clinicians, call or visit the Mental Health Association of San Francisco at 870 Market Street, Suite 928, San Francisco, CA 94102. Our phone number is (415) 421-2926.