Mental Health Services awarded $300k for suicide prevention
The Mental Health Services (MHS) division of University Health Services has been awarded a three-year, $300,000 federal grant to expand its suicide prevention efforts. The campus is one of only 22 schools in the nation that received grants through the $6.3 million program.
The funding from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will allow MHS to build upon a “gatekeeper” model implemented in 2006. The approach trains key individuals and groups to recognize students at risk of suicide and provide appropriate intervention; an evaluation component documents achievements and outcomes.
Over the past three years, project coordinator Kerry M. Morrison and her staff have trained campus health care providers, housing staff, administrators, faculty, coaches, fraternity and sorority leaders and police. The new funds will help increase educational capacity; engage off-campus first responders, health care providers and families; enhance student and staff awareness and response, and promote the importance of seeking help for behavioral health concerns.
“Nearly a quarter of a million students in colleges and universities each year attempt suicide,” said Eric Broderick, acting administrator of SAMHSA. “This national tragedy demands a strong pro-active approach – reaching out to all those at risk with information and services that give real help and hope.”
College students can face serious mental and behavioral health issues, including depression and binge drinking. “The challenge for mental health professionals is how to identify and help them; nationwide, fewer than 20 percent of students who die by suicide are past or current clients of their school’s counseling center,” said Harry Rockland-Miller, director of Mental Health Services. “However, students who do connect with services often benefit significantly. UMass Amherst surveys have shown that over 80 percent of those who sought mental health care said services helped them stay in school and improve academic performance.”
The grant team also includes program evaluator Christina Citino of the Donahue Institute; Linda Scott, assistant director for consultation and education at Mental Health Services, and graduate assistant James Brenchley.
October 8, 2009.
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