Feather River Community College

Summary: The Feather River College Campus Suicide Prevention Project established a consortium of organizations in Plumas County, California, to develop a coordinated community response to the issue of suicide and its prevention at the community college. The Project provides gatekeeper trainings for key individuals to identify and assist students in crisis, as well as education and outreach to promote a campus culture that promotes help-seeking behaviors.

Population to be Served: This Project serves the students of Feather River Community College (FRC), with an annual enrollment of 1,782 students. The student body is 57% male and 43% female. They are ethnically diverse (51% White; 20% Hispanic; 13% African-American; 5% Asian; and 3% American Indian). Among all students, 56% were 24 years old and under and 44% were 25 years and over. 73% of full-time/first-time students receive financial aid. Of all undergraduate students, 61% received grant or scholarship assistance from a known source.

The purpose of FRC’s proposed project is to develop a coordinated response to address campus suicide prevention. The primary needs this proposal seeks to address include:

1. The absence of a coordinated community response from a collaborative body focused on suicide prevention;
2. The lack of training, education and outreach for faculty and students on warning signs, available resources, and how to refer to and access resources; and
3. A campus culture that does not discuss mental and substance use disorders or actively encourage help-seeking behaviors.