Navigating Grief and Building Resilience: JED’s Approach to Postvention Work

The loss of a student to suicide impacts every part of a campus community, especially families and those close to their loved one, including classmates, friends, and professional staff. For a college campus of 20,000 students, the stark reality is that an average of two to three lives may be lost to suicide each year. 

Though postvention is defined as an “organized response” in the aftermath of a suicide, it’s also considered to be a core feature of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention.  In essence, postvention is prevention. That is why JED has developed robust postvention consulting practices, designed to guide schools through the healing process and fortify their support systems to reduce the risk of future loss. JED’s postvention work provides guidance and actionable planning in three core areas: grief support for the school community after a loss, addressing the most common mental health impairments after a suicide, and seeking to reduce the risk of further suicide loss.

Learn more about JED’s approach to postvention from Dr. Kurt Michael, JED’s Senior Clinical Director, who leads this important work. 

What happens after a school loses a student to suicide?
When a school calls us after losing a student, they’re understandably overwhelmed and terrified it may happen again. We’re there to help schools answer some of the toughest questions: How will they support their students? What will they say to parents? How will they help their community heal while reducing the risk of suicide more broadly? Our team provides guidance to administrators, residence life staff, faculty, and mental health providers to ensure everyone has the support they need, including help for helpers.

What makes JED’s approach effective?
Protecting youth mental health and preventing suicide takes more than responding to a loss — it takes a comprehensive approach like JED’s. It takes a culture of care in which students feel supported and suicide prevention becomes an expected part of their lives. That means teaching students the skills to better manage life’s ups and downs, creating school communities in which students feel connected to each other, showing staff how to spot when a student may be struggling, and making sure help is accessible when needed.

How long does JED stay involved?
We stay connected long after the immediate loss, helping schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health safety nets to protect their students in the long run. We ensure the proper supports are in place so each community can continue processing their grief, promoting help-seeking, and integrating postvention programming into their broader systems. 

Is there a moment that illustrates the importance of this work?
Just sitting with people who have experienced devastating loss. Sometimes the most powerful thing we do is show up, listen, and show up again. 

Learn more about JED’s postvention consulting services to help your school or campus community heal after a loss and strengthen mental health support systems.