East Tennessee State University

East Tennessee State University, a rural institution, will develop and implement a campus suicide prevention plan called PEAKS – Prevention through Education, Awareness and Knowledge of Suicide. Program goals are to: 1) raise campus awareness about mental health issues, including stigma; 2) educate students, staff, and faculty to be suicide prevention gatekeepers; and 3) provide infrastructure and facilitate access to mental health services for distressed students. Populations of focus include first-generation students; first-year students; GLBT, minority and international students; military veterans; and fraternal and sorority groups. The project will strengthen existing campus service provider relationships into a cohesive suicide prevention network and provide the necessary training and educational materials to support prevention efforts. The program will also provide suicide prevention training to our campus, including QPR and Campus Connect and will develop curriculum to provide clinically-based, mentored training to Family Medicine residents and Clinical Psychology Ph.D. students. Information and educational presentations and workshops focusing on the distressed rural student will include distance learning and tele-health products and linkage to local and national crisis lines.