Western Michigan University Suicide Prevention Program
Kathy Lewis-Ginebaugh PsyD, Margaret Ajayi; Jessica Manning, Addie Carter, Karen VanDeusen Psy.D., ACSW, and Delores Walcott, Psy.D.
Western Michigan University, University Counseling and Testing Center
2513 Faunce Student Services Building, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008
(269) 387-1850
In response to the escalation of mental health difficulties and the steady level of suicide
completions among college students enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently awarded
millions of dollars in grants to educational institutions across the country willing to address the
problem. Western Michigan University's University Counseling and Testing Center, a grant
recipient, has developed a suicide prevention program that adapts the highly successful
gatekeeper program instituted by the United States Air Force to a higher educational setting. The
elements adapted include; the utilization of a community- based approach, the use of community
leaders to carry out and support the program, the dissemination of information regarding risk
factors, symptoms, and referral sources for depression and suicide, and the promotion of help
seeking behavior among students at risk. Grant funded activities include training campus
leaders, the use of culturally sensitive social marketing activities to promote community
responsiveness to mental health problems and promote help seeking, and the use of the
web-based technology to educate the community. Special emphasis will be placed upon reaching
underrepresented students through the use of their social connections and student groups.
Our presentation will provide information regarding this collaborative university-community
alliance and detail the grant development process. We will discuss our efforts to develop and
market an "on-line" suicide prevention training and an "in-person" training at our institution. We
will also address our plans to incorporate other web technologies, the challenge of ensuring that
all our program activities are culturally sensitive and relevant, and our plans to reach commuter
students and those on satellite campuses. We plan to share the resources we have used that are
available to those committed to suicide prevention. We anticipate a stimulating discussion about
ways to help people overcome the natural reluctance to acknowledge mental health difficulties.
We also hope to dialogue with those in attendance about ways to effectively provide the
necessary encouragement and support to help those in need to initiate contact with a mental
health care provider.
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