Project Grant H79SM086324

WARRIOR WELLNESS: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION AT EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY - THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ARE THREEFOLD: TO INCREASE THE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS AT RISK FOR SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AMONG STUDENTS AT EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (ESU); TO REDUCE RISK FACTORS AND INCREASE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR SUICIDE, AND TO INCREASE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS. THE INCREASE IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS AT RISK WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH A TWO-PRONG APPROACH; EXTENSIVE GATEKEEPER TRAINING OF TARGETED HELPERS WHO ARE IN FREQUENT CONTACT WITH STUDENTS AND INTENTIONAL SCREENING FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE REDUCTION OF RISK FACTORS, SUCH AS ACCESS TO LETHAL MEANS, BARRIERS TO CARE, AND ISOLATION, AND THE INCREASE IN PROTECTIVE FACTORS, SUCH AS CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, REDUCING SELF AND SOCIAL STIGMA, ENHANCING STUDENTS' LIFE SKILLS AND RESILIENCE, AND FOSTERING CONNECTEDNESS WILL BE ADDRESSED THROUGH A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES. FINALLY, INCREASING HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR WILL BE ACHIEVED BY CONNECTING MORE DELIBERATELY WITH UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND FORGING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. ESU IS COMPOSED OF APPROXIMATELY 5,000 STUDENTS OF WHICH ALMOST 4,000 ARE UNDERGRADUATES. ABOUT 30% SELF-IDENTIFY AS FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AND OVER 45% AS UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES. AN ADMINISTRATION OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH ASSOCIATION NATIONAL COLLEGE HEALTH ASSESSMENT IN 2019 ON A SAMPLE OF STUDENTS FOUND THAT 64% OF RESPONDENTS FELT HOPELESS AT SOME POINT IN THE PRIOR 12 MONTHS; 56% STATED THAT THEY FELT SO DEPRESSED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FUNCTION; 73% OF RESPONDENTS FELT OVERWHELMING ANXIETY; 16% SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED SUICIDE; AND 10% ENGAGED IN NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURY. FURTHERMORE, A SURVEY OF STUDENTS RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS) REVEALED THAT ALMOST HALF (47%) ENDORSED HAVING THOUGHTS OF ENDING THEIR LIFE IN THE TWO WEEKS PRIOR. OVER 90% ENDORSED EXPERIENCING A TRAUMATIC EVENT AND OVER 80% INDICATED HAVING EXPERIENCED CONTROLLING, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS. DESPITE THIS INCREASED NEED FOR SUPPORT CAPS SERVES ONLY 11% OF THE STUDENT BODY AND LESS THAN 35% OF STUDENTS RECEIVING SERVICES IDENTIFIED AS UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES. SOME OF THE PREDICTED OUTCOMES OF THE CURRENT PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS. IT IS PREDICTED THAT FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS' CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS AT RISK FOR SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND IDENTIFY SPECIFIC RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS WILL INCREASE BY 25% AND 15% RESPECTIVELY UPON COMPLETION OF GATEKEEPER TRAINING; AND WILL REMAIN AT ONE MONTH AND THREE MONTH FOLLOW UP AS ASSESSED IN PRE-POST TRAINING EVALUATION. REGARDING REDUCING THE RISK FACTOR BARRIERS TO ACCESSING CARE, IT IS PROJECTED THAT CONTACT WITH STUDENTS OF COLOR WILL INCREASE BY 15% BY THE END OF YEAR TWO AND 20% BY THE END OF YEAR THREE OF THE GRANT. A PRE-POST CONNECTEDNESS MEASURE WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE CAPS PEER MENTOR PROGRAM TO EVALUATE MENTEES' FEELINGS OF CONNECTION AND LONELINESS. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THERE WILL BE A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CONNECTEDNESS AND A DECREASE IN LONELINESS. FINALLY, A PRE-POST EVALUATION OF CONFIDENCE IN ADDRESSING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, AS WELL AS SELF AND SOCIAL STIGMA WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH INDUCTEES TO THE STUDENT SUPPORT NETWORK WITH A PREDICTION OF A 15% INCREASE IN CONFIDENCE IN SUPPORTING PEERS AND MAKING APPROPRIATE REFERRALS AND A 10% DECREASE IN SELF AND SOCIAL STIGMA REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.