Saint Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is committed to providing best practices health and wellness services to our students. We believe that college student suicide will be prevented through the creation of a caring campus community. By increasing help-seeking behavior, reducing stigma about mental health concerns, and providing tools to instill compassionate responsiveness to students across our University, we will create a community that is healthier and stronger for all. Suicide prevention is everyone’s concern. SCSU is committed to the safety and growth of the whole student. Our goals will be achieved through best practice online and in-person suicide prevention training, engaging educational seminars, and campus specific marketing for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. SCSU will develop customized educational brochures, posters, handouts, videos, and websites to educate students and family members as well as faculty and staff, about suicide prevention, risk factors, and protective factors. The University will utilize social networking, multiple social norms campaigns, a new student-led organization, student-initiated creativity, and a wide range of diverse campus leaders to help implement our goals. SCSU will also utilize existing nationally recognized programs including the Jed Foundation, SAMHSA, and mtvU. These programs will be infused into our existing efforts and the campus culture using multiple approaches and mediums. A Suicide Prevention Leadership Council (SPLC) will be formed to advise and guide the grant during its implementation and beyond completion of the grant period. Ongoing data collection, assessment, and performance analysis will be conducted to make ongoing enhancements and ensure effectiveness of all grant related programming. A Cultural Competency Advisor will be utilized to help advise on ways to sensitively infuse cultural competency throughout the various aspects of the grant. Each year of the grant we hope to train approximately six campus leaders on Gatekeeper training. These individuals will then train approximately one thousand students, faculty, and staff each year. To accommodate those students that are enrolled online, may have difficult schedules, or learn better in an online setting, we will also offer Kognito online suicide prevention training to 1,000 students each year. In total, SCSU plans to have approximately 2,500 students receive suicide prevention training each year for a total of 7,500 students trained by the end of the grant period. In addition, the number of QPR trained professional staff will increase from zero before the grant to approximately eighteen by the end of funding. The social norms marketing, large campus events, student organization, and other grant activities will impact thousands of students, faculty, and staff during the duration of the funding. The grant will provide the necessary groundwork to help SCSU sustain this very important work years beyond the grant period.