East Central University

The purpose of the East Central University (ECU) Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Program is to facilitate a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention on the ECU campus in Ada, OK. This program will increase collaboration of campus partners in the area of suicide prevention, increase suicide prevention/intervention trainings, increase the number of materials provided on campus related to suicide prevention, decrease stigma around mental health and help seeking, and increase promotion of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The program will also serve as a connection resource to better link students and families experiencing mental health or behavioral health issues to appropriate services. The entire University student population will be targeted with the proposed program. This includes approximately 4,500 students attending ECU. Within this population, a number of vulnerable groups will be served including veterans, Native Americans, and LGBT individuals. ECU is a public 4-year regional university and is located within the City of Ada, which has a population of approximately 17,303 and is the county seat of Pontotoc County with 38,194 residents. In addition, Ada is the seat of government of the Chickasaw Nation, and as much as 13% of the population within the targeted campus is Native American. Strategies and goals to be accomplished by this program include the following.

Goal 1: Increase campus infrastructure and collaboration around suicide prevention. Objective 1A: Develop a Project Leadership Team consisting of a minimum of 10 campus partners by 12/31/2017. Objective 1B: Maintain 10 Project Leadership Team members throughout grant period (9/30/2020). Objective 1C: Facilitate Project Leadership Team members on a minimum of a quarterly basis through grant period (9/30/2020). Objective 1D: Via Project Leadership Team, develop a crisis response plan and revise as needed by 3/31/2018.

Goal 2: Increase availability of suicide prevention and intervention training and materials on campus. Objective 2A: Provide at least 450 students & employees gatekeeper training programs by 9/30/2020 resulting in a ratio of 1 gatekeeper for every 10 students. Objective 2B: Increase peer helping via provision of Student Support Network to at least 30 students by 9/30/2020. Objective 2C: Provide 100% of students and employees with suicide prevention materials and other information by 9/30/2020.

Goal 3: Decrease student rates of suicide risk factors. Objective 3A: Decrease number of students reporting substance misuse by 5% by 9/30/2020. Objective 3B: Decrease number of students reporting feelings of sadness by 5% by 9/30/2020. Objective 3C: Decrease number of students reporting feelings of overwhelming anxiety by 5% by 9/30/2020. Objective 3D: Reduce access to means by hosting at least 1 prescription drug take back event on an annual basis (9/30/2018, 9/30/2019, 9/30/2020). Objective 3E: Reduce access to means by providing safe storage information on prescription drugs and firearms to 100% of students and employees by 9/30/2020.