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Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.
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| Download JED's talking points. |
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13 Reasons Why
: Suicide Contagion
Suicide is a serious public health problem nationwide and anyone can be at risk, regardless of age, gender, race, or class.
It is well known that suicide can be a contagious occurrence. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
website states, "Suicide contagion is the exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors within one's family, one's peer group, or through media reports of suicide and can result in an increase in suicide and suicidal behaviors. Direct and indirect exposure to suicidal behavior has been shown to precede an increase in suicidal behavior in persons at risk for suicide, especially in adolescents and young adults."
The newly released Netflix series,
13 Reasons Why
, reflects on the incidents leading up to a teenage high school student's suicide through a series of tapes she leaves behind.
The popular series highlights the need for suicide prevention education in school and campus communities, yet
many public safety and health care professionals have valid concerns the show will lead to an increase in suicidal behaviors in their communities.
13 Reasons Why
talking points, available in English and Spanish, to help clinicians, mental health professionals, and educators discuss the show with parents, young adults and the media. JED's chief medical officer Victor Schwartz, M.D., wrote a
blog post on the show that includes considerations for viewers of all ages.
To join the national conversation on suicide prevention efforts and engage in peer-to-peer support, consider signing up for the Zero Suicide
email discussion list. Zero Suicide is a key concept of the
Several resources are available to help colleges and universities reduce the rate of suicidal behavior and prevent suicide:
- JED Campus is JED's nationwide initiative designed to guide schools through a collaborative process of comprehensive systems, program, and policy development with customized support to build upon existing student mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention efforts. JED Campus schools embark on a multi-year strategic partnership with JED to assess and enhance the work that is already being done and also create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community.
- SAMHSA's Suicide Prevention web pages provides valuable information and resources, including screening and assessment tools, a list of warning signs of suicidal behavior, an early intervention plan, prevention programs, and other tools specifically for schools and campuses.
- JED and SAMHSA jointly presented a free webinar on our current understanding of suicide clusters on college campuses and in other settings. Experts in suicide prevention and college mental health discuss the epidemiology and demographics of suicide clusters; what we know about settings in which clusters are more likely to occur; and how to reduce the risk of contagion through effective communication, intervention, and postvention on and off campus.
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Register now! |
Free Webinar on the Virginia Tech Tragedy's Impact on Campus Mental Health
Join us next
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 2:00PM ET
for our free
Campus Public Safety Online webinar,
Ten Years After Virginia Tech: Impacts on Campus Mental Health. The tragedy at Virginia Tech occurred on April 16, 2007, and led to the devastating loss of 32 students and faculty members. This tragedy has had a significant impact on thinking around campus policies and practice related to students with mental health or behavioral challenges.
We welcome
Victor Schwartz, M.D., clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine and chief medical officer for
The Jed Foundation, to briefly review the state of college student mental health, the events surrounding the Virginia Tech tragedy, and the changes that have occurred in the aforementioned areas of concern over the past 10 years.
Attendance is free but registration is required.
Register now to hold your seat!
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| Download the new AAU report. |
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Association of American Universities Releases New Report
AAU recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the issue of campus assault, and each campus is undertaking a variety of efforts to address the complex challenges associated with it. This report is divided into six sections that describe and highlight the assorted actions being taken by campuses to address sexual assault and misconduct.
- Surveys: All responding universities surveyed students on issues around sexual assault and misconduct at least once since 2013.
- Education and Training: Over the last three academic years, 100% of responding institutions have changed or are in the process of changing their education and training for students and faculty. For staff, the figure is 98%.
- Student Support: Over the last three academic years, 100% of responding universities have developed, redefined, or enhanced programs to assist victims of sexual assault and misconduct. New strategies for student support include the addition of dedicated funding to establish a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program at the Boulder Community Health Hospital to help serve the University of Colorado Boulder; a 24-hour response, advocacy, counseling, and medical and legal advocacy hotline through the University of Iowa's Rape Victim Advocacy Program; and new systemwide procedures for all 10 University of California campuses.
- Developing a Campus Ecosystem: Nearly 75% of responding universities reported conducting question-based data collection or studies that delve more deeply into specific issues raised by surveys, focusing on the experiences of particular student populations, or addressing other specific issues. Many institutions are integrating other means of communications with students on the topic of sexual assault and misconduct. As a part of a campus climate assessment, Rutgers University-New Brunswick conducted 21 focus groups with 179 students representing different groups such as athletes, LGBTQ students, sexual violence victims, those involved in Greek life, and more. The Universities of Minnesota and Virginia both conducted focus groups with students on barriers to reporting.
- Resources: Ninety-five percent of responding institutions indicated that they are developing new coordination or data-sharing relationships between offices and programs to help address sexual assault and misconduct on campus. New York University (NYU) has established the Center for Sexual Misconduct Support Services, which works collaboratively with the NYU Student Health Center, Office of Equal Opportunity, and other related departments such as Public Safety and LGBTQ Student Services. Similarly, the University of Toronto is creating a Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre that will serve as a centralized resource for information and data collection.
- Measuring Change: Eighty-four percent of institutions said they were developing new or improved ways of measuring the effectiveness of policies, programs, and interventions. In addition, 84% of institutions reported assessing students' knowledge about and utilization of policies and resources, and well over half are assessing faculty (62%) and staff (60%) knowledge. Princeton University has implemented a client satisfaction questionnaire for victims that includes an assessment of items that impacts the student's academic capacity, relationships, and interpersonal violence issues. Pennsylvania State University is developing assessment instruments to measure the effectiveness of specific programs that have been implemented on campus.
It's important to note that the activities outlined in this report represent a snapshot of a moment in time. In addition to downloading the AAU report as a PDF, you may also
view it online at the AAU website. For questions about the report, please contact AAU via their
contact form.
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Access our online calendar of events.
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Professional Development Opportunities
Title: Educating Parents and Alumni About Sexual and Interpersonal Violence
Organization: State University of New York
Date: June 2, 2017 at 11:00AM ET
Location: Online
Fee: Free
Title: Vermont Suicide Prevention Symposium
Organization: Vermont Suicide Prevention Center
Date: June 5, 2017
Location: Killington, VT
Fee: Registration fee
Title: Hurricane Awareness (AWR-343)
Organization: National Disaster Preparedness Training Center
Date: June 5, 2017
Location: Milton, FL
Fee: Free
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Weekly Snapshot Directory
Access previous
Weekly Snapshot
articles in our easily searchable directory, which is updated monthly.
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NCCPS Institute
Registration is open for our 2nd Annual DC Institute! Learn about
conducting trauma-informed sexual assault investigations in line with evolving practices.
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News Articles
Visit our News Articles web pages for timely
resources, breaking news, and expanded information from our Weekly Snapshot.
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