Support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach that enhances mental health and suicide prevention services for all albertus magnus college students - albertus magnus college…

Support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach that enhances mental health and suicide prevention services for all albertus magnus college students - albertus magnus college abstract-soar: students overcoming adversity and risk falcons soar: students overcoming adversity and risk at albertus magnus college in new haven, connecticut, requests a GLS suicide prevention grant to implement a comprehensive public health and evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention program serving all 600+ traditional undergraduate students. Populations of focus at this minority serving catholic school are first-generation (35%), pell recipients (46%), and black students (28%). Evidence presented in the project shows these groups to be at high risk for negative mental health outcomes, in part because they tend not to take advantage of counseling services and are sensitive to the perceived stigma attached to asking for help. The program also seeks to address the declining retention rate of black students, which may be related to mental health issues. Faculty and staff have reported feeling overwhelmed trying to support students and undergraduate admission essays repeatedly contain signs of students' mental health distress. The increase in students' mental health (MH) needs has quickly outpaced capacity to address them. Surveys show that albertus students struggling with MH issues do not know where to turn. Their financial situations are stressful and they lack confidence in finishing their degree. Our project will enable US to reach these students before their feelings lead to crisis. Falcons soar has set goals and objectives to create an infrastructure and network that will address students' needs. Our GLS-funded project will assist students in building resiliency, social connectedness, and life skills so that they can better tackle the mental health issues they experience and help others. Faculty and staff members will be prepared to better communicate with students experiencing mental distress. The goals of project falcons soar are: 1) to support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach to preventing suicide and responding to mental crises, alcohol and drug misuse, and suicide; 2) to ensure that staff, faculty, and students can identify students in crisis, at risk of suicide, and/or struggling with substance abuse issues, and support them in getting help; 3) to engage students in mental health and alcohol and drug-related initiatives to increase their understanding of the issues, how to get help, how to help others, and reduce stigma; and 4) to increase awareness of mental health and alcohol and drug abuse campus-wide to intervene before students reach a crisis state and to promote resiliency. To achieve these goals, the falcons soar leadership team will collaborate with existing campus groups, including the team working on a one-year connecticut mental health awareness grant, and the JED foundation, to create a support network for all services providers. The project will implement a series of prevention screenings and trainings, and educational offerings to bring awareness and resources to the albertus community and beyond to provide students with the help they need. Albertus will serve a duplicated count of 3,507 faculty, staff, and students in three years: 1,146 in year 1, 1,168 in year 2, and 1,193 in year 3.