2022 GLS campus grant to prevent suicide and promote mental health - the milwaukee area technical college (matc) GLS campus 2022 project strives to prevent suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths among…

2022 GLS campus grant to prevent suicide and promote mental health - the milwaukee area technical college (matc) GLS campus 2022 project strives to prevent suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths among students by promoting mental health and help-seeking behaviors, and to support at-risk groups across the college and partnering community. The project will serve a minimum of 3,000 students per year, as well as benefit student family members, college employees, and community members. To achieve this transformational change, matc will use a comprehensive, partner-coordinated, evidence-based approach to enhance our counseling and psychological services infrastructure to have a positive impact in meeting student needs related to mental wellness and suicide prevention. Efforts include: 1) mental wellness infrastructure transformation via focus on crisis protocols and support provided to all students (while specifically targeting those at high-risk); substance abuse, mental health problems, and life stressors; coordination with a contracted supplemental 24/7 virtual mental wellness provider; and pandemic relief supports; 2) professional development and staff training on topics including QPR, substance use disorder, at-risk populations, pandemic-related impacts, and additional relevant areas; 3) student awareness and training on topics including suicide prevention resource center's framework for successful messaging, equity in mental health framework via workshops, marketing, and awareness campaigns; 4) partnership collaborations to enhance and expand a strong and beneficial network of external mental wellness supports and resources; and 5) data collection and performance assessment. This program will be culturally broad and informed by direct input from students, community partners, faculty, and staff.