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Saving Lives in New York Volume 2: Approaches and Special Populations
prevention training should focus on developing
the knowledge, attitudes and skills to
identify individuals at risk, determine the
levels of risk, and to make referrals.
Resources: Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR)
(www.qprinstitute.com).
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST),
Living Works Education (www.livingworks.net).
Public Safety Department
Means Restriction on Campus (II C.1)
College and university officials should
undertake a comprehensive analysis of all
structures and activities that may provide
an opportunity for suicide, and take appropriate
actions to limit students’ access to
potentially lethal means. This may involve
a range of activities including constructing
barriers on balconies, rooftops and bridges;
and establishing clear policies and procedures
that restrict the availability and use of
alcohol, illicit drugs and firearms on campus.
Resources: Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective
Responsibility. Richard
Bonnie and Mary Ellen O’Connell, Editors, Committee on
Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage
Drinking, National Research Council, Institute of Medicine.
(www.nap.edu/catalog/10729.html). National Strategy for
Suicide Prevention (www.mentalhealth.samhsa. gov/suicideprevention/strategy.asp).
Residential Life Staff
Residence Advisor and Other Gatekeeper/Caregiver
Training Programs (II B.2)
Training programs that increase the ability
of potential gatekeepers to identify and
refer for treatment at-risk students are an
important part of campus suicide prevention.
Because of their daily proximity to a
substantial number of students, residence
hall advisers are in a unique position to
recognize signs of suicide risk. Other gatekeepers
might include faculty, athletic personnel
and student life personnel. Suicide
prevention training should focus on developing
the knowledge, attitudes and skills to
identify individuals at risk, determine the
levels of risk, and to make referrals.
Resources: Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) (www.qprinstitute.com).
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Living Works
Education (www.livingworks.net).
Social Network Promotion (II D.1)
Promoting a sense of belonging among all
students is an important element of suicide
prevention. Administrators, faculty, staff
and student leaders should explore ways of
encouraging the development of smaller
groups within the larger campus community,
and reaching out to student groups who
may experience isolation and a lack of
connectedness (e.g. racial and ethnic
minorities, international students, gay and
lesbian students, commuter students, older
students, etc.).
Resources: National Mental Health Association/Jed Foundation,
2002. National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/suicideprevention/strategy.asp).
Life Skills Development (II D.2)
Programs to improve students’ management
of the rigors of college life, and to
equip students with tools to recognize and
manage triggers and stressors should be
developed and incorporated into student
orientation, residence hall meetings and
other student life venues.
Resource: National Mental Health Association/Jed Foundation,
2002.
Student Counseling Services/Campus
Mental Health Professionals
Post-Attempt Treatment Programs (II A.2)
It is essential that campuses establish clear,
non-punitive procedures for
assessing a student’s continued risk following
a suicide attempt. Campus personnel
should be specifically trained to link the
suicidal student to evaluation and treatment
resources, either on or off campus.
These individuals must be thoroughly
knowledgeable about the availability of and
access to all campus and community
resources. Campus mental health services
should have clear procedures in place to
ensure that students who have made a suicide
attempt are given priority access to
evaluation and treatment services.
Resource: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
(www.afsp.org) has developed educational posters highlighting
suicide risk factors and management guidelines for emergency
personnel.
72 College Students