University of San Diegoc

The University of San Diego Suicide Prevention Grant will provide a comprehensive array of initiatives to mitigate the risk of suicide and to promote help-seeking behavior. Through enhanced collaborations, trainings and other educational interventions the University of San Diego plans: to 1) increase the awareness of mental health concerns, suicide risk and protective factors, 2) enhance help seeking behavior, and 3) create environmental change that promotes the overall health and wellness of the USD community. Efforts will be aimed at the entire USD community, with targeted at-risk populations being male students, armed service veterans and affiliates, ethnic minority students, international students, and the LGBT student community.This project’s training component will emphasize the role of gatekeepers, or those who regularly come into contact with individuals in distress. Faculty, staff, peer educators, RAs, and other student leaders will engage in gatekeeper trainings to learn how to recognize, approach, and refer students at risk for suicide.This projects educational outreach efforts will include mental health awareness campaign materials, public service announcements, webpage development, the use of social media, and videos. In an effort to fully engage the community USD will leverage student involvement through peer led educational initiatives.Finally, USD will increase collaborations with local and national mental health services, ensure greater visibility of the Up to Us mental health crisis hotline and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and increase mental health screenings opportunities for the USD community.