JED Boarding School

Be a leader in supporting student mental health and preventing suicide. 

JED Boarding School connects your school with experts who have years of experience serving the unique needs of residential learning communities.

Students standing around talking at boarding school

The JED Boarding School program is an initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) designed to guide schools through an in-depth collaborative process of assessing, developing, and implementing comprehensive systems, programming, and policies to build upon existing student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention efforts. We provide customized support that integrates our mental health expertise with each school’s unique campus mission, norms, and culture.

For more information about the JED Boarding School program or to get your school involved, please complete the form below.

Our Collaboration Offers

All schools will receive personalized consultation and support from a dedicated School Mental Health Specialist with deep expertise in Boarding Schools during the three-year program. This includes:

  • Assistance and guidance in building a multi-disciplinary leadership team to drive the work with JED in building a comprehensive mental health system throughout participation in the program.
  • Two JED Boarding School Assessments (one baseline ‘pre-assessment’ and  one ‘post-assessment’ upon completion of the program) to measure a school’s systems, policies, and programs that support student mental health.
  • Two administrations of the Boarding School Student Survey and Boarding School Faculty Survey (both surveys are conducted at baseline as a ‘pre-assessment’ and again upon completion of the program as a ‘post-assessment’). These surveys measure students’ and faculty’s attitudes, behaviors, and awareness of emotional well-being and substance use issues on campus.  
  • A comprehensive feedback report, which will incorporate information from all assessments and surveys to outline areas for enhancement and growth at your school.
  • An in-person site visit, which includes a meeting with the school’s multidisciplinary team to review the feedback report and begin strategic planning.
  • A detailed and comprehensive mental health strategic plan with objectives and action steps for implementation.
  • Regularly scheduled check-ins with a School Mental Health Specialist to provide consultation, resources and expert implementation support.
  • An additional in-person site visit to present a summary report analyzing the impact of systems change on student outcomes (e.g., analysis of how participation in the program impacted students’ awareness, attitudes, and behaviors around mental health).
  • Two administrations of JED’s You Can Help trainings for faculty, staff, and students.
  • Allotted hours of postvention consultation and support, as needed.
  • Detailed support and planning that focuses on long-term sustainability and maintaining the gains a school has made while in the program.

Benefits of Collaboration

Expert Insight and Technical Assistance

We understand the challenges boarding schools face. Through expert insight and consultation, each school receives assistance to develop a customized strategic plan and ongoing support and resources.

Data-Informed Actionable Plans, Customized to Your Campus Community

We know that each boarding school is unique, which is why we conduct a thorough evaluation of each school’s strengths and student mental health needs. JED assessments are a comprehensive analysis of the students, faculty/staff, and the campus to identify and understand the current climate, needs, policies, programs, and practices surrounding student mental health. Based on this campus-specific analysis, we will work together to create a strategic plan to enhance what is already working and to address unmet needs related to student mental health. The outcome of this collaboration is a seamless, holistic approach to mental health promotion.

Recommended Practices to Enhance Your Policies, Programs, and Resources

JED is at the forefront of suicide prevention. We help boarding schools make informed decisions and enhance policies, programs, and systems based on clinically reviewed and peer-informed recommended practices.

 

Measurable Outcomes and Lasting Impact

JED will complete a comprehensive post-assessment executive summary, which will document the program’s success in effecting positive student outcomes and will outline future steps to sustain and build on successful initiatives.  

Ongoing Support

Upon completion, your boarding school will have access to an active network of resources, events, and professional development opportunities. 

Committed to Affordability

JED is dedicated to making our program accessible to all boarding schools. Learn more about our fee structure and opportunities for funding the JED Boarding School program at your school. 

TESTIMONIALS

“The Jed Foundation brings wisdom, resources, and evidence-based interventions to bear on one of the most pressing issues of our day: the proliferation of teen mental health challenges and suicide. They support and empower school communities to tackle these issues with creativity, energy, and an inclusive approach that involves everyone on campus in finding solutions.” “Ellen, our JED liaison, has been amazing. She is wise and knowledgeable, caring and compassionate, practical and helpful. We are so fortunate to have her on our team!”

Joy Groves, Director of Consulting at Oak Hill Academy, VA

“We have learned and benefited enormously from our partnership with JED. The Boarding School Advisor has deep expertise and experience with the impact the boarding school environment can have on teens. In addition, the Advisor took the time to get to know our school—how our community of administrators, faculty, staff, and students works together—resulting in training, resources, and strategic advice tailored to our needs. Our partnership with JED gave us the opportunity to do a comprehensive review of systems and programs and receive one-off consultations to address a wide variety of concerns. JED’s emphasis on personalized working relationships engenders a partnership that is flexible, compassionate, responsive, and inspiring.”

Marcia Isaacson, General Counsel & Director of Risk Management at The Lawrenceville School, NJ

“The Jed Foundation has provided our school community with culturally competent and evidence-based resources, constructive feedback, support, trainings, and actionable steps that were implemented in a timely manner. JED’s accessible and effective tools used to evaluate the micro and macro needs of school communities have strengthened our support services and programming. Our students, faculty, staff, and administrators have benefitted from the wealth of resources that JED has shared, and our work with JED has been instrumental in helping us navigate the evolving and increasingly complex mental, social, and emotional needs of our students.”

Julie Field, L.C.S.W., Director of Counseling at the Loomis Chaffee School, CT

Interested in collaborating with the JED Boarding School? Complete the form above. 

 

Mental Health Resource Center