JED Launches New Programming to Strengthen Mental Health Support in Fraternities and Sororities

Initiative offers expert support, evidence-informed guidance to promote young adult emotional health and prevent suicide.

[July 17, 2025, New York City] — Fraternities and sororities shape the college experience for hundreds of thousands of students, and they can have a powerful impact on the emotional well-being of their members and the broader campus community. Today, The Jed Foundation (JED) announced the launch of new programming to partner with Greek-letter organizations to help them transform member mental health.

Drawing on two decades of expertise and a proven comprehensive approach, The JED Greek-Letter Organizations programs provide tailored, evidence-informed guidance to fraternities and sororities committed to promoting emotional well-being and preventing suicide through a two-year technical assistance program or customized consulting. Over the course of the two-year program, JED partners with participating organizations to:

• Assess organizational needs and priorities
• Review, improve, or create policies and procedures
• Enhance substance misuse prevention through a JED-led, customized workshop, developed in partnership with Partnership to End Addiction
• Strengthen hazing prevention via a JED-led workshop, developed in partnership with the  Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research
• Train staff, volunteers, alumni, and members using JED-developed workshops that meet their needs, including “You Can Help a Member” and “It’s OK to Say Suicide.”
• Support implementation tools, strategies, and techniques for measurable youth mental health improvements
• Evaluate progress and develop sustainability plans

Through customized consulting, JED partners with organizations to:

• Review or co-develop policies that strengthen and protect the emotional health of members and students who socialize with fraternal organizations, including crisis intervention, substance misuse and amnesty policies, bullying and cyberbullying, hazing, and sexual assault
• Provide workshops and trainings to address the identified needs of the organization
• Hold one-on-one coaching calls to problem-solve priority issues identities by the organization.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity (SigEp), with more than 12,000 undergraduates on 200 campuses, is among the first college fraternities to join this new program. Its mission is Building Balanced Men, achieved through a continuous member development program focused on personal and leadership development in a substance-free environment.

“JED’s approach to supporting mental well-being in fraternity and sorority communities will ensure SigEp’s policies and core experiences continue to be at the forefront in the prevention of suicide, hazing, and substance misuse,” said Brian Warren, CEO of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. “The partnership will enhance our Balanced Men Program, which supports several dimensions of wellness, by helping our members understand themselves, seek balance, build strong relationships, and pursue excellence in their lives. Recommended by SigEp’s Mental Health Committee based on JED’s proven expertise, this partnership was a natural next step as we evaluate and enhance our experience for undergraduates and volunteers.”

The JED Greek-Letter Organizations programs build on JED’s recent report, Fraternities and Mental Health: Supporting Emotional Well-Being Among Members and Across Campus, which highlights both the potential positives and the risks of Greek life. The findings, coupled with JED’s experience in this area, yielded several key recommendations and themes to enhance the emotional well-being of both fraternity members and other students on campus. While fraternities can provide belonging and social connection — protective factors for mental health — they also present significant risks, including substance misuse and sexual misconduct, that impact both members and the broader campus community, highlighting the need for increased awareness and positive response strategies.

“There are more than 1,500 Greek-letter organizations at colleges and universities across the United States, serving approximately 750,000 undergraduate students. These communities have enormous potential to foster connection, resilience, and support,” said Dr. Katie Hurley, JED’s Senior Director of Clinical Advising and Community Programming. “JED’s new program meets fraternities and sororities where they are, helping them build systems of support that are grounded in research, responsive to their unique needs and cultures, and designed to enhance safety and well-being for their members and broader campus communities.”

The program is rooted in JED’s comprehensive approach, a proven model used across more than 530 colleges and universities nationwide. JED’s recent report, A Decade of Improving College Mental Health Systems: JED Campus Impact Report, analyzed a decade of data (2013 to 2023) from JED Campus schools and the Healthy Minds Network survey. Schools that completed JED Campus saw statistically significant improvements in student mental health at the end of the program. Students were:

• 25% less likely to report a suicide attempt 
• 13% less likely to report suicide planning
• 10% less likely to report suicidal ideation
  

Students also had improved average anxiety and depression scores, and were more likely to stay in school and graduate.

Fees for The JED Greek-Letter Organizations programs vary depending on organizational needs and scope. Sliding-scale options and grant support may be available.

For more information, contact greek@jedfoundation.org.

About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools, colleges, and school districts to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health. 

Connect with JED: Email | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Snapchat | YouTube 

Media Contact

Justin Barbo
Director of Public Relations
The Jed Foundation
914-844-4611
justin@jedfoundation.org