Programs for Colleges
College student suicide is a national problem and affects all campus types. It is the second leading cause of death among college-age students and claims as many as 1,100 individuals every year (286K pdf file).
A student at risk for suicide is often indiscernible from the rest of the student body. Certain warning signs are blatant signals; yet, an estimated 80% of college student suicides were never clients of the college counseling center.
While the incidence of suicide is very small (estimated at 7.5 per 100,000 (21K pdf)), it can be the extreme result of a much more common problem - depression – that affects at least 14% (90K pdf) of the campus population at any one time. Depression is a major problem not only because it can lead to suicide but also because it is associated with poor physical health, substandard academic performance, and irresponsible risk-taking behaviors.
Colleges can take steps to help promote the emotional well-being of their students. The Jed Foundation strongly believes that a multi-pronged, preventive approach that combines both medical and public health elements is needed to reduce depression and campus suicides as well as enhance the overall mental health of the student body. This approach is represented graphically in the College Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Model.
The foundation’s programs, some of which are listed below, are all designed to contribute to mental wellness on college and university campuses.
- Framework for Developing Institutional Protocols for the Acutely Distressed or Suicidal College Student
- CampusCare
- University Pilot Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Project
- Ulifeline™
- Understanding Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: A Web Site for College Health Professionals
- Study Abroad Brochure for Faculty and Staff
