Project Grant H79SM086272

CABRINI UNIVERSITY CAVS CARES SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE - CABRINI UNIVERSITY IS PROPOSING A CAVS CARES SUICIDE PREVENTION INITIATIVE. THE PURPOSE OF THE CAVS CARES INITIATIVE IS TO ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE POPULATION-BASED APPROACH TO SUICIDE PREVENTION THAT ENHANCES PROTECTIVE FACTORS, PROMOTES CONNECTION AND PEER SUPPORT, TRAINS THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY ON EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND EFFECTIVE REFERRAL, AND REDUCES BARRIERS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE BROAD CAMPUS COMMUNITY IN CONTRIBUTING TO A CLIMATE OF MENTAL WELLBEING AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION. CABRINI UNIVERSITY IS A PRIVATE, COEDUCATIONAL, RESIDENTIAL UNIVERSITY LOCATED IN RADNOR, PA, NEAR PHILADELPHIA. AS OF FALL 2021, CABRINI ENROLLED A TOTAL OF 1760 STUDENTS, 1343 IN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AND 417 IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS, WITH 700 STUDENTS LIVING IN OUR RESIDENCE HALLS. SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS INDICATE THE COMPOSITION OF THE STUDENT BODY AS FOLLOWS: 40% OF UNDERGRADUATES WERE MALE, 60% FEMALE; 20% OF UNDERGRADUATES WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN; 12% WERE HISPANIC; AND 56% WERE WHITE. ADDITIONALLY, 480 STUDENTS WERE PELL GRANT ELIGIBLE, MEANING THEY DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL FINANCIAL NEED. AS CABRINI DOES NOT REQUIRE STUDENTS TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, MANY STUDENTS ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED, LIMITING THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS NEEDED HEALTHCARE, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, OFF-CAMPUS. GIVEN THE INCREASED REPORTS OF SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AMONG CABRINI STUDENTS, INCLUDING RISING NUMBERS OF STUDENTS REPORTING PREVIOUS SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS, CABRINI NEEDS TO BROADEN THE SCOPE OF SUPPORTS THROUGHOUT OUR CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT TO BETTER MEET THE SUICIDE PREVENTION NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS CAVS CARES INITIATIVE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING GOALS: GOAL 1 IS TO INCREASE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF, AND ASSISTANCE TO, STUDENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THIS WILL OCCUR THROUGH GATEKEEPER TRAINING FOR FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS, AND TRAINING ON SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND RESIDENCE LIFE STAFF, WHO FREQUENTLY RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES ON CAMPUS. IN ADDITION, CRISIS RESPONSE PROCEDURES AND REFERRAL INFORMATION WILL BE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED. MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH STUDENTS TO AID IN THE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. GOAL 2 IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BY REDUCING BARRIERS TO CARE. A CASE MANAGER WILL ENSURE THAT STUDENTS SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT HAVE ACCESS TO COUNSELING SERVICES EITHER ON- OR OFF-CAMPUS, AND THAT BARRIERS TO CONNECTING WITH THOSE SERVICES, SUCH AS LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, ARE REDUCED. CABRINI WILL ESTABLISH A VETTED REFERRAL LIST OF PROVIDERS, INCLUDING OUTPATIENT COUNSELING, PSYCHIATRY, AND HIGHER LEVELS OF CARE. FOR STUDENTS REQUIRING OFF-CAMPUS SERVICES, CABRINI WILL ENSURE THAT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ARE NOT A BARRIER TO RECEIVING SERVICES BY PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO SELECTED COMMUNITY PROVIDERS. GOAL 3 IS TO PROMOTE PROTECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH FACTORS INCLUDING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, BELONGING, AND LIFE SKILLS BY IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE-BASED PEER SUPPORT NETWORKS, AND EDUCATION/OUTREACH PROGRAMMING. CABRINI STUDENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A CLINICALLY-MODERATED PEER SUPPORT COMMUNITY AS WELL AS LIVE AND RECORDED EDUCATIONAL AND LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS OFFERED EACH SEMESTER. THESE POPULATION-BASED OBJECTIVES ARE AIMED AT INCREASING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF THE BROAD CAMPUS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, AND PARENTS. AS SUCH, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT LEAST 800 INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SERVED ANNUALLY THROUGH THE LIFETIME OF THIS PROJECT.