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Bellarmine University, located in Louisville, Kentucky, requests funding for the Knights Care Project, which seeks to address rising mental health and substance abuse challenges among its general student body (2,993 students). Based on desperate mental health needs and an increasingly diverse student population (26% underrepresented racial minority (URM), 27% low-income, 22% first-generation, 30% LGBTQI+), this project will give particular focus to these four sub-populations. In the past 10 years, Bellarmine has seen a 32% increase in student consultations for mental health services despite declining enrollment, with issues like non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, and psychiatric hospitalizations on the rise. The Knights Care Project's goals are to 1) enhance infrastructure and peer-support networks to address student mental health needs, 2) increase the university’s ability to detect, diagnose, and treat mental health and substance abuse problems, 3) expand gatekeeper training to increase support and referrals for mental health concerns, and 4) strengthen mental health promotion efforts through data-driven and evidence-based strategies. Over the three-year period of grant funding, the Knights Care Project will support the mental health and substance abuse needs of over 3,000 unique Bellarmine students by providing 3,000 mental health and substance abuse screenings; hosting signature mental health wellness events (3,375 attendees); educating over 600 students through a mental health seminar series; providing mental wellness peer-education to over 300 fellow students; training 475 campus community members in Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) and 250 campus community members in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA); engaging more than 10% of the student population in peer-based support utilizing Togetherall; reaching more than 50% of the student population with a mental health messaging campaign; providing over 150 crisis intervention calls through ProtoCall services; providing over 300 mental health and substance abuse needs assessment consultations to low-income, first-generation, URM, and/or LGBTQI+ students; and collecting 65+ lbs. of unused/expired prescription medications. The GLS Campus Suicide Prevention grant will enable the project to build mental health infrastructure by hiring a project coordinator/case manager, who will coordinate all major elements of the project and provide case management services to target student populations. To further enhance infrastructure, the project will create the Bellarmine University Partners in Prevention Network, which will serve to advise the project team and develop strategic goals. The project team will regularly monitor progress toward project objectives and adjust approaches as needed to reduce disparities and enhance outcomes.

The University of St. Francis (USF) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, proposes the Cougars Promoting Mental Health (CPMH) program to provide its 1,380 full-time undergraduate students with services that promote positive mental health and address substance use disorder (SUD) issues, toward the overall goal of preventing suicide. USF currently has very limited resources to serve students, with part-time counseling and no outreach, public education, or training on these topics available for students, staff, or faculty. CPMH will enable USF to provide expanded mental services (individual counseling and group sessions); new outreach activities and public education campaigns; and training for students, staff, and faculty in identifying and responding to students with mental health or SUD challenges. While services will be available to all undergraduates, athletes will be a population of focus. Over 32% of the student body are student athletes. Because USF does not partner with the NCAA, the university received none of the training, assessments, public education, or outreach they provide. USF wants to provide its students with these supports through the CPMH program. Goals and objectives established for CPMH to improve the mental health of its students include: Goal 1: Build knowledge of university-wide student needs on mental health and SUD and coordinate with community partners to develop crisis response protocols and program referral mechanisms for students at risk for suicide, depression, mental illness, and/or SUDs. Objectives: USF’s CARE Team will discuss systemic problems that arise from individual cases; administer a Healthy Minds survey at the beginning and end of the grant period; develop a Healthy Minds Advisory Council (HMAC) composed of internal and external stakeholders; develop and annually review crisis response, postvention, and lethal means protocols; and develop formal referral agreements with community partners (one/year). Goal 2: Increase institutional capacity for providing services to students by mental health professionals to prevent suicide, address substance abuse, and support mental wellness. Objectives: Increase available counseling hours from 25 to 36 each week; develop a mechanism for obtaining counseling from other therapists as needed; and develop therapy groups on issues most pressing to USF students. Goal 3: Improve identification of individual USF student needs around mental health and SUD. Objectives: Provide QPR training to 25% of faculty and staff each year; provide QPR training to resident assistants (Year 1) and other student leaders (Years 2-3); develop training on trauma-informed response and offer to faculty each semester; choose and offer a mental health and substance abuse assessment screening, conducted by the project coordinator and trained athletic staff, to students each semester; and review data from the contract counselor to determine and respond to trends. Goal 4: Increase student awareness and access of suicide and substance abuse prevention resources and recovery support services. Objectives: Develop and implement a comprehensive public education and outreach program on suicide, mental health, and substance abuse, offering at least one event or activity each month, to include programs on life skills, resilience, and social connectedness; develop a web page on mental health, suicide, and substance abuse with emergency information and a directory of services; written format of this material is to be developed and offered to students and families at the start of each academic year; increase student use of counseling services by 5% per year; and increase the number of students aware of services for mental health and substance from 82% to 92%. At least 1,000 students per year are anticipated to be served by this program through outreach, education, screening, and training activities and direct services in individual and group sessions for a total of 3,000 served during the life of the grant.

The project aims to serve the diverse student population of the University of Puerto Rico's Rio Piedras Campus (UPRRP), which comprises approximately 11,500 graduate and undergraduate students annually. The student body is predominantly Hispanic (95%), with a significant proportion identifying as female (62%) and facing socioeconomic challenges. Over the past decade, Puerto Rico (PR) has faced numerous challenges, including natural disasters, economic downturns, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which have exacerbated mental health concerns among its population. The student population at UPRRP has been particularly affected, with events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and the suspension of student housing impacting students' well-being and sense of connection to the campus community. Data from the UPRRP counseling center is suggestive of a concerning increase in mental health issues among students, including elevated suicide risk, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and substance abuse, further highlighting the need for enhanced support services. This project will be led by the Counseling Department for Student Development (DCODE), which offers free counseling services, crisis intervention, prevention, outreach, and training to the student population on campus. Part of its aims are to address emerging trends in academia and technology, such as the surge in social media usage, tele counseling, Artificial Intelligence (AI). Updating the suicide prevention program to accommodate and take advantage of these shifts is imperative to effectively meet the student population's evolving needs. To achieve this, the project will conduct a comprehensive assessment of mental health and substance abuse disorder needs on campus that will inform the development of targeted interventions and support services. A Mental Health Risk Detection System for quantitative risk detection of suicidal behavior, mental health issues, and substance abuse among all students will be developed and implemented using a Machine Learning model. A comprehensive suicide referral and tracking system will be developed and implemented to ensure timely identification and monitoring of at-risk students. The project will strengthen the on-campus healthcare provider network by providing training in evidence-based evaluation and treatment of mental and substance abuse disorders. Off-campus healthcare provider networks will also be enhanced through relationship building and the establishment of efficient referral methods. An updated institutional Mental Health Crisis Protocol will be implemented including a directory of available mental health services and clear instructions for the campus community on reporting and referring students at risk. Comprehensive Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training will be provided to students, faculty and staff to enhance their capacity in recognizing and responding to mental health challenges and crises, and timely referral of at-risk students. Finally, the project will promote campus-wide resilience and mental health awareness through educational campaigns, workshops, seminars, and outreach events, ensuring that mental health and substance abuse disorder resources are widely disseminated and accessible to all members of the campus community.

"You Belong Here: Strengthening Mental Health & Well-Being at Widener University" will strengthen the University's infrastructure to support a comprehensive suicide prevention program for its 3,166 full-time undergraduate and graduate students on its Chester, PA campus. These services will include outreach and public education for students with mental health, suicide, and alcohol use disorders and provide information on accessing services to manage such challenges. The program will also provide tiered training on identifying and making service referrals for students with mental health and substance use problems. Extra attention will be given to first-year, first-generation (FY/FG) students who have shown particular need on Widener's campus in recent years. Students will be heavily engaged in Widener's programming, including using undergraduates as mental health ambassadors to conduct outreach and basic education and students from Widener's MSW and PsyD graduate programs to provide psychoeducational programming and screening students for mental health and substance use problems. The following goals and objectives have been established for the program. Goal 1: Develop a comprehensive, coordinated, community approach to service delivery and programming. Objectives: (1.1) Hire a qualified project coordinator (PC) to oversee of Widener's GLS program. (1.2) A coordinating committee of internal and external stakeholders (the Mental Health Community Advisory Committee [MHCAC]) will be developed. (1.3) MHCAC members will be better informed on resources and best practices for serving students' mental health and substance use disorder needs. (1.4): MHCAC and the PC will deliver (1) updated protocols on crisis response, postvention, and lethal means and (2) clear referral mechanisms for students to access community services. Goal 2: Develop and deliver programming that considers and addresses the needs of first-year, first-generation (FY/FG) students. Objectives: (2.1) At least one mental health/substance use disorder public education activity per month will focus specifically on FY/FG students. (2.2) At least 45 (90%) student orientation leaders will be trained by peer educators in challenges facing FY/FG students. (2.3): At least two social media messages will be delivered each month to encourage help-seeking behavior specifically focused on FY/FG students (2.4) At least 50 students per semester will participate in voluntary mental health and substance use screening. Goal 3: Develop a multi-tiered educational program for Widener faculty, staff, and students on identifying and responding to students' mental health and substance use disorder challenges. Objectives: (3.1) Intensive Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training, including train-the-trainer preparation, will be provided for two faculty or staff members each year. (3.2) On-campus QPR will be provided for five additional faculty each semester in Years 2 and 3 for a total of 20. (3.3) Training will be provided to 60 student leaders per semester on identifying and providing appropriate assistance for students facing mental health challenges. Goal 4: Institutionalize student engagement in mental health and substance abuse educational efforts through activities funded through this grant. Objectives: (4.1) Coordinate with the Breathe Board, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and Active Minds to support them in their public education and advocacy efforts. (4.2) Fifty undergraduate student mental health ambassadors (MHAs) will be trained to assist in public education. (4.3) Twenty peer educators (graduate students from Widener’s MSW and PsyD programs) provide trainings, conduct screenings, and offer public education for undergraduates. (4.4) MHAs will facilitate public education efforts. Including outreach, public education, training, and screening, at least 2,000 students per semester will be served for a total of 6,000 throughout the grant period.

The Wellness Initiative for Students: Destigmatizing and Offering Mental Health Support (WISDOM) Project seeks to develop a comprehensive whole-campus approach to suicide and substance use prevention at Central Methodist University (CMU) in Fayette, MO. The WISDOM Project will build an infrastructure and network that will expand mental health and substance use disorder services and sustain effective prevention programming. The goals of the WISDOM Project are to: 1) enhance and strengthen campus policies and infrastructure to provide comprehensive support to students at risk for mental health and substance use disorders; 2) increase campus and family knowledge of the prevention of suicide, mental health, and substance use disorders to reduce stigma and normalize help-seeking behaviors; and 3) improve the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can complete their studies. The project will serve participants by implementing programs to increase counseling center capacity, expand student safety nets through collaborative partnerships, increase student mental health and substance use disorder awareness and resources, identify at-risk students early, reduce stigma, and reduce the number of students withdrawing for mental health reasons. The project will provide direct training to frontline faculty including coaches and athletic trainers and provide other programs, activities, and services to at least 1,000 students and other stakeholders each year of the grant. Specific project activities include: 1) create a Suicide Prevention network of internal and external community partners; 2) provide QPR gatekeeper training to frontline faculty and expand training to other stakeholders by the end of the funding period; 3) review and establish crisis response, postvention, and safety plans along with harm reduction policies; 4) enhance screening efforts through events and training of key stakeholders; and 5) coordinate messaging campaigns, workshops, events, and activities that raise awareness of mental health and substance use disorders, promote resources and services, reduce stigma, and build life skills. Considering the large population of student-athletes and the greater perceived stigmatization in athletics, the project programming will include activities that directly impact the student-athlete population at CMU.

Illinois Wesleyan University’s Titan HEART (Helping Everyone Achieve Resilience Together) project will strengthen the campus and community mental health network support infrastructure and serve first-generation, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC student populations of focus, in addition to training faculty, staff, and peers to identify risk factors, promote personal wellness, and foster a genuine sense of belonging. Outreach efforts will raise awareness, promote mental health and campus safety, and support a culture of care. Key project activities include the development of a community mental health coalition, the implementation of JED Campus program initiatives, enhanced screening and assessment tools for students, and ongoing professional development and training for faculty and staff. During three years of grant activities, Titan HEART will serve over 3,600 students and staff (Year 1: 1,389 served; Year 2: 1,126 served; Year 3: 1,116 served) through a combination of screenings and assessment, direct clinical care, targeted outreach, academics offerings, trainings, and workshops. Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) first-generation (23.8% of student appointments), LGBTQ+ (35.9% of student appointments), and BIPOC students (36.5% of student appointments) underutilize counseling services disproportionately compared to their other IWU peers. According to American College Health Association data, these students are at higher risks for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, self-harm, ideation, and suicide as they navigate their identities and communities of care. Illinois Wesleyan University’s Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS) will strengthen its capacity to plan, serve, and care for students in crisis. CCS will work in partnership with key Bloomington-Normal community stakeholders, like Carle BroMenn Medical Center, McLean County Center for Human Services, and Chestnut Family Health Center, to provide direct care, training, and assessment assistance. CCS will also work with telehealth services to expand referral options and crisis intervention capacity. Titan HEART’s goals are to close key gaps of service and care in screening and assessment and 24-hour crisis intervention of IWU student populations of focus with higher rates of suicidal thoughts, ideation, and attempts. These goals are rooted in outreach and clinical interventions for first-generation, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC students who are at greater risk for academic, social, emotional, and family distress. The primary goals of Titan HEART are to: 1. Enhance IWU’s mental health direct service capacity; 2. Develop a comprehensive mental health training and delivery plan for faculty and staff; 3. Enhance capacity to support student wellbeing and mental health crises; 4. Normalize campus support for mental health through the visibility of resources, with an emphasis on outreach to populations of focus; 5. Strengthen IWU’s network infrastructure with campus, local, state, and national resources. IWU will accomplish these goals by building a stronger network infrastructure that regularly engages key stakeholders, and by providing students, faculty, and staff with information and resources to reduce access to lethal means and to increase the direct clinical care service and support they so desperately need with screenings, assessments, evidence-based trainings, and 24/7 crisis service support. In meeting the needs of its most struggling students, Titan HEART will better serve the campus, the Bloomington-Normal area, and the state of Illinois for years to come.

Project Hope will strengthen the behavioral health prevention capacity and promotion infrastructure; prevent suicide and reduce mental health and substance use disorders, and expand programming for students at St. John's College (SJC) in Santa Fe, New Mexico (NM), with a special focus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) college students who represent 60% of the campus community. Nationally, LGBTQIA+ students face challenges accessing BH treatment due to negative perceptions of the campus climate and stigma. LGBTQIA+ students also experience disproportionately high rates of suicidal ideations, attempts, and deaths by suicide. These realities are no different at SJC, with LGBTQ+ students experiencing increased rates of psychological distress, depression and suicidal ideations. To mitigate these issues, Project Hope will support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach that identifies students at risk for suicide and suicide attempts, increases protective factors that promote mental health, reduces risk factors for substance use disorders and suicide, and ultimately reduces suicides and suicide attempts on the SJC campus. Project Hope is partnering with several organizations to ensure the success of this grant initiative, including the Mountain Center; Life Link; The Trevor Project; Suzanne Pearlman, MA; and the University of New Mexico’s Division of Community Behavioral Health. The goals of Project Hope are to: (1) increase capacity of SJC to promote the mental well-being of SJC students; (2) enhance BH services for all SJC students, including those at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness/serious emotional disturbances; (3) prevent and reduce suicide and mental and substance use disorders; (4) promote help-seeking behavior and reduce stigma at SJC; (5) improve the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can successfully complete their studies; and (6) utilize a data driven approach for continuous quality improvement. Performance outcomes tracked related to the: number of individuals who have received training in prevention or mental health promotion, number of people receiving evidence-based mental health-related services; number of individuals exposed to mental health awareness messages; number of individuals screened for suicidal ideation; and number of individuals referred to crisis, or other mental health-related services for suicide risk, ideation, or behavior. It is anticipated that the entire undergraduate student population of 367 students will engage in mental health and substance abuse promotion activities annually. Additionally, 103 students, faculty, and staff will participate in related training including: Mental Health First Aid, the Trevor Project’s CARE training, and Counseling for Access to Lethal Means training. Universal screening using the PHQ-9 and AUDIT-C will also be implemented at both the SJC Health Center and SJC Counseling Center for all students. These efforts will strengthen the prevention capacity and mental health promotion infrastructure of SJC.

Summary. Franklin College, challenged by the volume and severity of mental health needs from its students, and specifically first-generation students, LGBTQI+ students, and students of color, will implement the Creating a Community of Care (C3) Project to pursue a comprehensive public health approach, utilize evidence-based practices, and address serious mental illness, substance use disorders, and suicide ideation. Population served. Franklin College students, faculty, and staff will be served by this project. Of Franklin’s 959 students, 24% are first-generation, 9% are students of color, and 4% identify as LGBTQI+. For students accessing on-campus counseling, anxiety (81%), depression (65%), suicidal thoughts (15%), and substance use (6%) were reasons to seek care. A substantial number of students (n=58) reported a past suicide attempt. Strategies/interventions. Create a network infrastructure; develop a plan to seek input from relevant community stakeholders to implement the program; administer voluntary mental health and substance use disorder screenings and assessments and provide information and referral services, as appropriate; train students, faculty, and staff to identify, respond effectively, and make appropriate referrals; promote 24/7 crisis services through local services and 988; provide outreach services about mental health and substance use disorder resources and services, including recovery services; disseminate informational materials to students, families, faculty, and staff to increase awareness about suicide, suicide prevention, mental health promotion, substance misuse prevention, and mental and substance use disorders, and promote resiliency; develop and implement educational seminars for students to enhance life skills and resilience, and promote social connectedness in alignment with campus initiatives; implement strategies to reduce access to lethal means among students with identified suicide risk; and conduct an assessment of the mental health and substance use disorder needs of students. Project goals and objectives. Goal 1. To enhance behavioral health services and campus responses for all Franklin students. Objective 1.1. Integrate telehealth care within the Franklin College Counseling Center. Objective 1.2. Build a new behavioral health intervention team that will (1) seek input from community stakeholders, (2) review and strengthen case identification and review, as well as postvention response, and (3) increase community mental health provider referral lists. Goal 2. To increase Franklin’s ability to respond effectively and prevent and reduce suicide. Objective 2.1. Assess students through appropriate diagnostic screens and a health behavior survey. Objective 2.2. Reduce access to lethal means and implement population-specific strategies to increase access to helplines. Objective 2.3. Train on identification, effective response, and appropriate referrals for students experiencing serious mental illness and substance use disorder, distress, or crisis, or who are at risk of suicide through QPR and Mental Health First Aid trainings. Goal 3. To bolster targeted and effective education and outreach efforts to prevent and reduce serious mental illness, substance use disorder, and suicide risk; reduce stigma; and increase help-seeking behaviors in students. Objective 3.1. Implement outreach events and educational seminars within first-generation students, LGBTQI+ students, and students of color spaces. Objective 3.2. Disseminate informational materials to students, families, faculty, and staff to increase awareness about suicidality and prevention, mental health promotion, substance misuse prevention, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders, and promote resiliency. Objective 3.3. Administer volunteer screenings while supplementing screenings with information on low-barrier services. Number of people to be served. Year 1: 800; Year 2: 850; Year 3: 850; Lifetime of the project: 1,370.

The overarching goal of The College of the Florida Keys’ (CFK) project is to promote resilience, social connectedness, and create a culture of care by increasing the capacity of the College to prevent suicide and suicide-related behaviors and improve awareness of and access to mental health training and services for CFK students. Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, has historically had one of the highest per capita suicide rates in the state. The unique geographic and socioeconomic factors of the Keys, including isolation, economic disparities, and limited access to mental health resources, contribute to this elevated rate. The proposed project aims to fortify resilience, enhance social connectedness, and foster a culture of care among students at The College of the Florida Keys by amplifying the institution's capacity to prevent suicide and related behaviors. Through a comprehensive strategy, this initiative seeks to elevate awareness of mental health resources, augment access to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, and bolster the network of support services available to CFK students. By leveraging community partnerships and engaging with local stakeholders, the project endeavors to create a supportive ecosystem that prioritizes student well-being and promotes proactive measures to address mental health challenges. By the spring semester of 2025, the College will establish a sustainable MHFA training program for faculty and staff, harnessing a cadre of MHFA instructors to extend certification to their peers. This initiative aims to enhance the College's capability to prevent suicide and intervene effectively in crisis situations. In addition, by Fall 2025, CFK will introduce a student life skills seminar class centered on mental health and wellness. This seminar will incorporate MHFA certification objectives, equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. The seminar aims to cultivate a cohort of students proficient in Mental Health First Aid, thereby fostering a supportive community where students can actively contribute to the well-being of their peers. Through these coordinated efforts, the project strives to empower CFK students with the resources and support needed to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Keuka College (Keuka) proposes “Wolves R.I.S.E. Together: Resilience, Intervention, Support, and Education – Keuka's Wellness Initiative for Preventing Suicide & Substance Use” (Wolves R.I.S.E.) to fortify its ability to identify and respond to students at risk of suicide or who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The proposed project will create new resources and training specific to resilience and enhancing protective factors. Activities will include the Healthy Minds Survey (HMS); policy improvement related to suicidality; expanding counseling and psychiatric capacity; campus-wide training and education; and enhanced screening, intervention, and postvention. Wolves R.I.S.E. will focus on an upstream prevention approach. Located in rural Keuka Park, Yates County, New York, Keuka is a private, undergraduate, and graduate, residential college offering over 50 study programs including occupational therapy, nursing, community health and wellness, and social work. Keuka had a Fall 2023 enrollment of 1,284 students, of which 77% are females, 23% are males, 80% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Black, 4% two or more races, and 7% unknown/undisclosed. Pell eligible or low-income students comprise 55% of students, 30% first-generation college students (FGCS), and 15% LGBTQIA+ students. Wolves R.I.S.E. will address the mental health needs of the college’s freshmen, FGCS, low-income/Pell eligible, LGBTQIA+, athletes, and Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) students. The project goal is to enhance mental health services for all students, with a special emphasis on students at high risk for suicide, depression, and/or substance use disorder (SUD). Keuka lost a student to suicide in 2019 which impacted the college community. In the past two years, students seen through Keuka’s Counseling Services (CS) comprise 29 students reporting previous suicide attempts, 90 students reporting suicide ideations, 6 students needing Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program transports, and 7 students hospitalized for mental health concerns. CS will lead Wolves R.I.S.E. which will leverage Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training. Strategies to prevent suicide and promote mental well-being on campus will include: 1) create an Advisory Council of campus and community partners with cross-cutting expertise in mental and substance use disorders, 2) hire additional staff to increase clinical capacity, student outreach, education, and referrals, 3) participate in the HMS, 4) formalize community partnerships to secure warm referrals for longer-term treatment and to build continuity of care, 5) increase the number of certified QPR trainers, 6) enhance voluntary substance use and depression screening, and 7) promote upstream protective factors that prevent students from reaching the point of SUD or suicidal ideation. The goals and objectives related to these strategies are: 1) Strengthen Keuka’s ability to identify and respond to students at risk of suicide and meet students’ mental health needs (Objectives include: conducting HMS in Year 1 and 3, add 20 hours/month of psychiatric services); 2) Promote student social connectedness and decrease loneliness (Objectives include: students reporting improved mental health markers, increase participation in suicide prevention and outreach by 10%); 3) Improve pre- and post-intervention for suicide ideation (Objectives include: 400 students, faculty, and staff trained in QPR). By the project's end, the number of QPR certified trainers will increase from 5 to a total of 8, and 400 faculty, staff, and students will be QPR trained. Outreach strategies will specifically focus on increasing resilience, social connectedness, and upstream prevention.

BeWellUconn Suicide Prevention (SP) will leverage its JED Campus Initiative to prevent and reduce suicide and mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) disorders at University of Connecticut (CT) (UConn)'s five campuses to: 1) enhance access to evidence-based specialized suicide care to treat students at risk for suicide; 2) implement new strategies that promote help seeking and reduce stigma; and 3) improve identification of these disorders by educating and training staff and faculty. UConn, CT’s flagship higher education institution, has over 30,000 students across five campuses of whom 33% identify as racially or ethnically diverse and 14% are international students. BeWellUconnSP will use targeted strategies to reach its most vulnerable students, including members of the BIPOC, LGBTQIA, and Veteran populations. BeWellUconnSP will solidify its JED Campus and Mental Health Task Force infrastructure to ensure a sustainable network consisting of ongoing stakeholder feedback that provides necessary and effective outreach, assessment, and services to students and training to students, staff, and faculty to reduce and prevent suicide. BeWellUconnSP will: 1) Leverage Jed Campus infrastructure to implement a comprehensive SP plan; 2) Expand existing partnerships to conduct focus groups with students and other stakeholders; 3) Upgrade and expand access to valid and reliable MH/SU screening and assessment tools; 4) Train staff using virtual (Kognito) and in person (UConn Helps, an adaptation of "Question, Persuade, and Refer" -QPR) platforms; 5) Promote access to UConn’s 24/7/365 BeWell MH support line and other suicide resources by enhancing the Student Health and Wellness (SHaW) webpage; 6) Offer UConn Recovery Community (URC) to more cultural groups by expanding to the four regional campuses; 7) Create and disseminate translated informational resources to students, family and faculty/staff on SP MH/SU, and Wellness by creating and posting media content; 8) In partnership with other Student Life and Enrollment departments, offer seminars/activities to enhance life skills, resilience, and promote social connectedness in alignment with SHaW’s strategic plan; 9) Conduct a lethal means assessment and implement recommendations; 10) Assess MH/ SU needs by leveraging already existing student surveys and data; and 11) Support access to specialized suicide care through a referral process with a provider referral partnership. This will result in: 1) Train 30 staff annually and 90 staff through the life of the project; 2) Provide 15 students with Evidence-based specialized suicide care annually and 45 through the life of the project; 3) Expose 3000 students to MH awareness messages annually and 9000 over the life of the project; 4) Screen 500 students for suicidal ideation annually and 1500 over the life of the project; and 5) Refer 50 students to crisis or other MH related services for suicide risk, ideation or behavior annually and 150 over the life of the project.

Juniata College will implement Self-Harm: Assess Report Eliminate (SHARE) to support mental health and prevent suicide among Juniata students, who are the focus population for this project. SHARE is a comprehensive, collaborative, well-coordinated, and evidence-based approach to enhancing the mental-health infrastructure in and around Juniata. To address specific barriers and elevated risk of campus subgroups, the project will focus efforts to reach LGBTQ+, ethnic/racial minority, first-generation, and international students as well as student athletes. Juniata is located in the central PA town of Huntingdon. In recent years, enrollment efforts have dramatically diversified the student body of approximately 1,213. Juniata students are 52.5% female, 47.5% male, 31% first generation, 17.1% racial/ethnic minority (domestic), 13% international, 27% self-identified LGBTQ+, 36% student athletes, and 13% neurodiverse. About one-quarter of Juniata students receive Pell grants (i.e., are low income). On recent surveys, high percentages of students report that they experience anxiety, depression, stress, disturbing family issues, relationship problems, and problems with interpersonal functioning. The overarching goal of Self-Harm: Assess, Report, Eliminate (SHARE) is to support mental health and prevent suicide in the Juniata College student population. Under this overarching goal, sub-goals of SHARE include: 1) enhancing behavioral health services for all students with a special focus on underserved and vulnerable student populations, 2) preventing and reducing suicide, mental illness, and substance use disorders 3) promoting mental health awareness, 4) promoting a campus culture that encourages help-seeking behaviors and reduces stigma, and 5) improving identification and treatment of at-risk students so they can be successful in their academic program and in their lives. To accomplish these goals, SHARE will achieve the following measurable outcomes/objectives. 1) At least 300 (900 total) members of the campus community (unduplicated numbers) will receive Mental Health First Aid (MHFA); Acknowledge, Support, Keep-in-Touch (ASK); and/or Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training in suicide prevention and/or mental health promotion each year. 2) 250 (750 total) students will receive evidence-based mental health and/or SUD services each year at the Glaeser Counseling Center. 3) 800 (2,400 total) individuals will be exposed to mental health awareness messages that reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking behaviors through JED implementation and other outreach and education activities. 4) 1,800 students (including 100% of student athletes) will be screened using the CCAPS-34 by the Glaeser Counseling Center counselors for suicidal ideation during the three-year project period. 5) At least 50 (150 total) students will be referred by Glaeser Counseling Center to mental health-related services in the community (including crisis services) for suicide risk, ideation, and/or self-harm behavior. It is anticipated that 800 individuals will be served by SHARE annually and 2,400 total over the three-year project period. SHARE will engage in the following strategies/activities: campus-wide implementation of selected JED outreach/education activities; sustaining the Mental Health Campus-Community Coalition (network infrastructure) to gain input from stakeholders; providing students with screening, assessment, counseling services, information, and referrals; implementing training in MHFA, QPR, and ASK for students, faculty, staff, and administrators; ensuring that students know about crisis hotlines and other resources; conducting outreach and dissemination of information; offering educational programming to build protective factors and resiliency; using messaging campus-wide to promote mental health and remove stigma; conducting educational seminars; and conducting evaluation activities, like annual surveys/assessments to determine or adjust focus.

The Victoria College Counseling Center (VCCC) GLS Campus Grant project will support the mental health and substance abuse needs of the Victoria College student population by implementing a strategic plan based on the “JED Campus” program. The VCCC will serve an estimated 190 students per year and 570 students by the end of the project period from Calhoun, DeWitt, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria Counties. VC enrolls a total of around 7,000 students per year from this area, which has a population of just under 200,000 people. All counties in the service area are federally-designated Mental Health Professional Service Areas. More than 42% of area residents are Hispanic/Latinx. 61% of VC’s first-time students are first-generation, a demographic that suffers from much greater mental health issues. 42% of VC students are low-income, and 82% indicate they could not receive counseling if it weren’t for the VCCC’s free services. 73.5% have reported that they’ve considered dropping a class due to mental health issues. 49.75% have voiced issues with suicidal ideation, depression, and other mental health and substance use issues. Only 3.3% of undergraduates currently use the VCCC’s services, despite national statistics indicating 57% of students need counseling. Only 23% of VC’s counseled students are male, despite males comprising 34% of the student body. In order to support our students’ mental health needs, this project has two goals: *Goal 1: Increase awareness, access, and usage of mental health services at VC for underserved students with barriers. Objectives: • By December 31, 2024, a new Emotional Intelligence Curriculum will be implemented in 100% of course sections of the first-year experience course required for new students. • By May 31, 2025, 100% of male students who have opted to receive VC communications will receive a targeted marketing campaign to promote VCCC services. • By May 31, 2026, VCCC will have increased student mental health workshop/seminar topics covered by adding 6 topics, increasing the topics covered by 100%. *Goal 2: Increase the capacity of the VCCC to make relevant and positive sustainable impacts on students’ academic goals affected by mental health issues. Objectives: • By July 31, 2026, VCCC will implement implicit bias & trauma-informed care training and 15% of VC employees will have participated. • By May 31, 2027, VCCC will have conducted cross-departmental training with 50% (1) more departments that support students. • By September 30, 2027, Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) suicide prevention training will be mandatory and completed by 85% of VC’s benefits-eligible employees. *Proposed activities, strategies, and interventions include (1) Creating a network infrastructure with behavioral health care providers; (2) Seeking input from relevant stakeholders for implementation; (3) Screenings, assessments, counseling, and referral services; (4) Evidence-based training for faculty, staff, and students; (5) Promoting of crisis services and the 988 lifeline; (6) Student outreach about resources and services; (7) Informational materials promoting awareness and resiliency; (8) Educational student seminars aligned with campus initiatives; (9) Reduction of access to lethal means by students with suicide risk; (10) Assessment of student health and substance use disorder needs; (11) Plans for prevention and treatment; and (12) Services will be evidence-based, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and equity-based.

Oakland University, a public university located in Southeast Michigan with an enrollment of approximately 16,000 students, is seeking $304,000 over three years to improve mental health support and suicide prevention efforts on its campus. In response to the escalating mental health challenges worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and identified gaps in student mental health resources, Oakland University proposes the Early Alert and Suicide Assessment Education initiative. This initiative seeks to enhance the mental health infrastructure and network through training, evidenced based-intervention, and community engagement focused on suicide prevention and mental health awareness. The initiative seeks to expand the number of trained counseling and social work students who can provide mental health support and suicide prevention throughout the campus and community. It emphasizes incorporating DEI principles to promote help-seeking behaviors among underrepresented students. Specifically, the grant will support the creation of a triage map to manage mental health services efficiently, enhance the use of crisis intervention resources, and increase community engagement through strengthened partnerships with local crisis centers. These efforts will ensure a strong support network, integrating both on-campus resources and community services, to address the immediate and long-term mental health needs of students. By leveraging resources of the community and on campus, Oakland University aims to create a sustainable model that addresses the mental health crisis effectively and creates a healthy and resilient campus community.

The Oxy Suicide Prevention Program is a coordinated, collaborative effort to bring intentional, comprehensive suicide-prevention, mental health promotion, and substance misuse harm reduction services to Occidental College (Oxy). By building capacity for data collection and clinical intervention, increasing opportunities for peer education and student-led prevention efforts, and expanding training for suicide-prevention and referral skills-building across campus, we will address student needs and build robust prevention, identification, and referral support related to mental and substance use disorders and suicidality among Oxy students. The project will take an evidence-based, public health approach to address the needs of all students, with a focus on first-year (27%), students of color (46%), and LGBTQIA+ identifying (46%) student populations, as well as students in Oxy's study abroad and international programs, all of whom are at greater risk of negative outcomes from substance misuse, mental health distress, and have reported feeling less sense of connectedness and belonging than their counterparts on campus. The overarching goals of this project are to increase help-seeking behaviors for mental health and substance use issues, to enhance belonging and connectedness among students, and to reduce suicide and mental and substance use disorders. There are four main objectives: 1. Using a trauma-informed lens, enhance clinical capacity to identify and intervene with students at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness/serious emotional disturbances, and/or substance misuse, and connect students to treatment and recovery resources when needed. -Emmons Wellness Center (Emmons) will implement an SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) model, train clinical staff in Brief Motivational Interviewing, and integrate DAST-10 and CCAPS-36 screening tools during clinical visits. Emmons will also work with student groups and partner departments to develop supportive resources for students already in recovery who are particularly marginalized on college campuses. 2. Expand our understanding of students’ current mental health, substance use behaviors and experiences, risk factors for suicide, and Oxy’s capacity to mitigate these factors through robust data collection and assessment. -Emmons will work with the JED Foundation, in collaboration with Oxy’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and a newly created Well-Being Committee, to administer baseline and recurring assessments identifying student mental health and substance use needs and behaviors, as well as assess community needs, and strategically plan and build infrastructure for data collection that leads to measurable improvements in student mental health and a more connected campus community. 3. Utilize evidence-based practices to promote mental well-being and prevent suicide through harm reduction strategies, suicide prevention trainings, educational programming, and restricting access to means. -Emmons will develop and implement suicide-prevention and referral skills trainings for students, staff, and faculty gatekeepers, to ensure the campus community feels comfortable addressing issues of distressed and/or at-risk students, and referring them to the appropriate resources in a timely manner. Emmons will implement awareness campaigns, educational materials, and peer-led outreach efforts dedicated to mental health promotion, suicide-prevention, and harm reduction. 4. Provide meaningful, inclusive, student-led, substance-free programming to foster positive community and connection, and a sense of belonging among students. -Emmons will develop a microgrant program in which student organizations can receive funding to implement peer-led programming, which will provide spaces for students to learn about various mental health topics, coping and life skills, and to foster connection and community building.

The Royals Care program of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will provide services and public education to its 798 undergraduate students to address challenges on mental health and substance use disorder, with special attention given to those with the most acute needs. Royals Care will build up the following elements of its mental health and substance use disorder programming and services so as to strengthen its infrastructure for suicide prevention on its campus. It will deepen connections between stakeholders on-campus and in the community; expand public education programming on student well-being, including mental health and substance abuse throughout the academic year; enhance the ability of the campus community to respond to mental health crises. While serving all students in need, this program will enable EMU to strengthen its response to students facing the most serious mental health problems, its population of focus for this grant. EMU’s Counseling Services has seen an increase in the seriousness of problems facing all students who come for help, including more complex trauma in the students’ history. Data gathered by Counseling Services indicates that in the past two years—among the students who have come to the office for help—between 31 and 34% of students have considered suicide at some point in their lives and between seven and 17% have made attempts. Twenty to 26% have engaged in self-injury at some point in their lives. The number of psychiatric hospitalizations has averaged three per academic year until 2022-2023, when the number rose to six hospitalizations per academic year. In this academic year, Counseling Services is projecting there will be 10 hospitalizations. EMU has established the following goals and measurable objectives to enable it to successfully implement the program. Goal 1: Enhance coordination of services, protocols, and educational programming on issues involving mental health and substance abuse disorders. Objectives: 1.1: Hire Project Coordinator; 1.2: Develop Care Coordinating Committee (CCC) of campus and external partners; 1.3: Facilitate regular meetings of the CCC to discuss programming, referrals, and to share resources; 1.4: Develop public education plan each year; and 1.5: Engage in professional development. Goal 2: Increase the availability and effectiveness of crisis-response resources, especially related to suicidality. Objectives: 2.1: Develop resource list of crisis service providers; 2.2: Share list with all on-call/overnight personnel; 2.3: 988 and other crisis response information shared widely across campus; 2.4: Emergency response training for residence life and student life staff each year; and 2.5: Review crisis response protocols with CCC each year. Goal 3: Increase education and awareness of harm caused by misuse of alcohol and other drugs among EMU students. Objectives: 3.1 and 3.2: Develop substance use disorder educational materials and provide via public education campaigns; 3.3: Hire four Royals Care student leaders to assist in education and outreach efforts; 3.4: Conduct student substance abuse and mental health screenings. Goal 4: Expand the ability to serve individual student needs for mental health services, especially those students facing the most serious mental health problems. Objectives: 4.1: Increase availability of qualified mental health counseling on campus; 4.2: Connect students with providers in the community; and 4.3: Provide resiliency training for students. Over 800 will be served annually as a result of outreach, public education campaigns, screenings, seminars, and training, for a total of 2,400 individuals reached during the grant period.

The “ND Cares” project aims to bolster mental health and suicide prevention initiatives at the University of Notre Dame, targeting its diverse student body of approximately 13,000 individuals. By integrating evidence-based strategies, prioritizing early intervention, and fostering a culture of care and support, ND Cares aims to create a campus culture that recognizes student well-being as a necessary foundation for academic success. In the academic year 2023-24, Notre Dame enrolled 8,971 undergraduate students and 4,134 graduate & professional students from all 50 states and various corners of the globe. Notably, the student body reflects a growing diversity trend, with 38.9% of the incoming class identifying as non-white. Among the student demographics, 13% hail from families with incomes below $30K, highlighting the need for accessible mental health support across socioeconomic strata. Goal 1: Establishing Routine Mental Health Screening and Intervention Providing mental health screenings in primary care at the University’s Health Services (UHS) to all students. Implementing screening protocols at the Center for Student Support and Care (CSSC) with a focus on early intervention and referral. Ensuring staff adherence to the "Zero Suicide Framework" to effectively manage suicide risk. Goal 2: Cultivating a Campus Culture of Mental Health Awareness Increasing students' perception that the campus culture is one that promotes well-being and help seeking. Providing faculty and staff with online training programs to increase mental health literacy, early identification, and referral. Developing and piloting a peer support program in residence halls, fostering a sense of community and support. Increasing outreach to military-affiliated and ROTC students to ensure their unique mental health needs are met. The ND Cares project represents a comprehensive population based approach to mental health and suicide prevention, aiming to create a campus where every individual feels valued, supported, and empowered in their mental health journey. Through intentional skill building around resilience and stress management, social connectedness, and early identification processes, Notre Dame hopes to positively contribute to the health and well-being of every student.

To address mental health and substance use disorders impeding student success, Empower Your Life—The Chesley Path to Well-Being (Empower) will serve Illinois College (IC) students, faculty, and staff. There are three primary goals for this project: (1) create a behavioral health coalition (BHC) that will provide additional mental health support for young adults and training and advocacy for local agencies, (2) increase outreach and educational and screening programs for suicide and substance abuse prevention, and (3) assess the mental health and substance abuse climate on campus and inform practice accordingly. Empower has nine objectives, the broad activities of which are as follows: convene a group of stakeholders and create a BHC; conduct voluntary screenings and assessments; provide and attend trainings; conduct wellness activities via Empower and the True Blue Toolkit (a co-curricular campus wellness program); conduct outreach to student athletes and coaches as well as LGBTQ+, BIPOC, international, and/or low-income/first generation students; develop or identify and distribute written and electronic materials; provide counseling and treatment services including support groups; and implement annual surveys to assess mental health and substance abuse disorders in students. Empower will serve all 886 students at IC—51.7% of which are women, 67.5% Caucasian, 39.6% Pell-eligible, 88.3% on-campus residents, and 45.6% athletes. According to the Core survey implemented on campus, just under 30% of students reported heavy episodic drinking in the previous two weeks. For students under age 21, 42.7% had consumed alcohol in the previous 30 days. Students are both arriving on campus with mental health prescriptions and experience with mental health counseling. A total of 35.4% had at some point been diagnosed with anxiety, 31% with depression, 13.1% with PTSD, and 9% with eating disorders. All IC students (886 in 2023-2024) will be reached via Empower through messaging annually, with a total of approximately 2,658 over three years. A duplicated count of at least 1,000 students will be reached annually through specific training, outreach, and assessments, for a total of 3,000 students through the three-year project.

The Gator Hope Initiative, named after the Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) Gabby Gator mascot, will serve undergraduate and graduate students at risk for mental illness, mood disorder, suicidality, and substance abuse. If granted the SAMHSA Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant, the Gator Hope Initiative will target support to at-risk NDMU students by increasing the capacity to identify students in need of care. Via the initiative, faculty, staff, and students will have an enhanced understanding of how and when to access available resources. The Gator Hope Initiative will build capacity to support students who present to the Counseling Center and connect students to appropriate resources. The Gator Hope Initiative will provide layered interventions and data collection. The first layer is to provide increased training for faculty, staff, and students in identifying and referring students in need of mental health or substance abuse prevention and support. The second level is to enrich the NDMU Counseling Center support for students by incorporating training in evidence-based practices in the treatment of at-risk students, to increase the ability to deliver treatment and destigmatizing outreach to students, and to increase the number of students who can be treated in the Counseling Center and supported by the university. The Gator Hope Initiative will fund increased training for faculty and staff in identification and referral to treatment supports for students presenting with suicidal ideation, and substance abuse issues using the I CAN HELP program. The Counseling Center staff will implement use of the CAMS-Care Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention Training framework when working with students who have suicidal ideation. NDMU’s nascent peer education program will be enhanced with certification for peer educators through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and through training for peer educators in the I CAN HELP program, l allowing peer educators to develop the skills to refer and respond to fellow students’ needs. The Gator Hope Initiative will also increase access to support and care services for students. The number of doctoral psychology extern counselors in training at the Counseling Center will increase by 50%. Further, the Counseling Center will offer virtual counseling via BetterMynd. This will allow provide services for virtual students, critical with the addition of the approximately 700 graduate students joining Notre Dame through the acquisition of the Maryland University of Integrated Health. BetterMynd will provide a 24/7 emergency support line and well-being workshops for the student body.

Norwich University is the nation’s oldest military college. Data from a Healthy Minds study conducted in 2018 and 2021 indicate that mental health challenges are paramount among the 2000 students in our high risk (young, 70% male) campus population. This project seeks to de-stigmatize help-seeking behaviors by expanding suicide prevention programming through delivery of campus leadership training, enhancement of existing mental health and substance abuse education, and development of peer-mentoring and peer-lead prevention programs for students. The characteristics of our student body and location demonstrate the critical need for enhanced mental health support services. Our residential population identifies as 27% female and 72% male, while 0.3% do not identify as male or female. Five percent of our residential students are veterans. Due to our rural setting, we have limited access to community resources that support emotional health and substance abuse prevention. We know that those in the military are at elevated risk for suicide and substance abuse, so education and support are essential for developing resilience in our cadets who are pursuing a military career. The stigma and challenges associated with developing a resilient and emotionally healthy outlook can be monumental for these students, therefore having additional support in place for those who may not seek counseling is an important target for our campus. Three inter-related and collaborative project goals will be implemented to address issues in access and capacity: 1. Develop and deliver a suicide-prevention and trauma-informed leadership training program for staff, faculty, and students every semester. 2. Expand delivery of the course, “Resilient Bodies”, which teaches stress reduction, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution skills; and 3. Develop, implement, and evaluate a student-lead, community-based substance abuse prevention program on campus. We will record participation levels in these activities and overall counseling center services and expect to serve at least 600-1000 students annually; 2400-3000 over the lifetime of the project. Evaluation of the reach and acceptability of the activities as well as their impact will take place each semester via qualitative observational data, mixed-methods surveys, and completion of the Healthy Minds Study during years 1 and 3 of the project.

Augsburg University, a Minority-Serving Institution in urban Minneapolis, MN, proposes the Auggie Well-Being project to enhance outreach, reduce stigma, and improve the effectiveness of mental health and substance use services for underrepresented and under-resourced students. Culturally relevant activities to encourage help-seeking, and mandatory evidence-based training for campus leaders will move Augsburg toward becoming a trauma-informed campus. Augsburg students are primarily first-generation, low-income, and/or students of color. Many students come from immigrant/diasporic backgrounds, most commonly Hmong, Somali, and Latino populations, who have experienced multiple forms of oppression and trauma. Additionally, Augsburg is a few miles from the intersection where George Floyd was murdered in 2020. Thus, our students experience a complex combination of mental health and basic living needs, compounded by intergenerational trauma, acute racial violence, and systemic oppression. They report high lifetime diagnoses of depression, PTSD, sexual assault, and substance use. Despite this great need, on-campus counseling services are underutilized. Therefore, Auggie Well-Being will prioritize culturally relevant strategies to improve students’ awareness of and access to services. We anticipate that all faculty, staff, 3,152 Augsburg students (called Auggies), and their families will benefit from the proposed project. Goal 1. We will improve underserved and under-resourced students’ awareness of mental health concepts and services by Obj 1.1) developing, translating, and disseminating promotional and educational materials in Year 1; Obj 1.2) providing annual tours of the counseling center (CWC); Obj 1.3) and expanding access to voluntary screenings. Goal 2. We will increase the campus leaders’ ability to identify and respond to students in crisis by Obj 2.1) creating a mandatory training plan for new faculty and staff; Obj 2.2) training 100% of new faculty, staff, and student leaders and 50% of current faculty and staff in Question, Persuade, Refer suicide gatekeeper training each year; Obj 2.3) annually training 100% of new staff and 50% of current staff in Mental Health First Aid; Obj 2.4) annually training 100% of new faculty and staff and 50% of current faculty and staff in Trauma-Informed Practices in Higher Education; Obj 2.5) annually training 100% of Department of Public Safety officers in an enhanced cultural competence training; and Obj 2.6) inviting 100% of faculty, staff, and students to an annual Naloxone training. Goal 3. We will promote help-seeking and reduce stigma by Obj 3.1) hiring an outreach coordinator in Year 1; Obj 3.2) offering all student organizations the option to request funding to host mental health awareness programming for the students they represent; Obj 3.3) annually hosting a multicultural practitioner speaker series; Obj 3.4) hosting an annual Healing Fair to introduce students to non-Western healing practices; Obj 3.5) expanding students’ access to CWC’s annual Wellness Retreat; Obj 3.6) expanding first-year students’ required substance use training to include discussions on harm-reduction and Fentanyl; Obj 3.7) establishing a Mental Health Task Force to ensure policies and procedures are trauma-informed by completing five annual reviews; and Obj 3.8) implementing a stakeholder input plan, uniting multiple student organizations, campus departments, and community partners to create a safety net to support our students. Ultimately, Auggie Well-Being embodies Augsburg’s unwavering commitment to holistic student well-being by addressing the complex challenges of our underserved and under-resourced students. We will empower them with the resources and support needed to thrive, including increasing awareness of services and reducing stigma. The project will move Augsburg toward becoming a trauma-informed campus, improving our campus community's overall wellness and safety.

Northern Oxford Regional Ambulance Service proposes a series of targeted initiatives to improve the response capabilities and outcomes for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health emergencies. This project targets 11 rural towns (561 square miles) in Northern Oxford county Maine with a combined population of 14,922 residents. The project utilizes a combination of initial licensing education, continuing education, Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health emergency specific training/programs, equipment to improve our organizations capacity and capabilities to respond to SUD and Mental Health emergencies. While also addressing mental health programs to support EMS providers. Initial licensing at the A-EMT and Paramedic will increase staffing at the Advance Life Support level allowing for a higher level of care on scene. Participation in a variety of Continuing Education programs to assist staff in maintaining license levels and encourage retention. Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Emergency specific training to assist providers in recovery based care, motivational interviewing, de-escalation, de-stigmatizing, and various harm reduction strategies. Specific training to present a pilot program allowing for point of service care (buprenorphine) to expand upon our current Substance Use Disorder programs that provide naloxone leave behind, education and resources, and direct referrals. The goals of these initiatives is to increase the capacity of the organization to respond to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder through training and equipment. Improve patient out comes through specific SUD training and providing a proactive treatment approach. Providing improved provider and patient safety through specific Mental Health training. As well as providing increased provider resiliency through Mental Health Support service options.

Project Name: Ascension STEMS (Mental & Behavioral Aid) MBA Program Ascension Saint Thomas Emergency Medical Services (STEMS) provides advanced life-support-capable services to a 45-county-wide area in Tennessee, roughly one-half of the 95 counties within our state. In this proposal, we aim to serve a subset of our broader population by focusing on Warren County, TN as our base for activities, with a catchment area of 3 distinct counties including Warren, DeKalb, and Hickman, respectively. Warren County meets criteria for Rural as verified by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), using zip code 37110 in McMinnville, TN where Ascension Saint Thomas River Park Hospital is located, from which our Warren County STEMS services are based. According to the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) - the SAMHSA site for determining "rural", "Micropolitan (micro) areas"…” are nonmetro labor-market areas centered on urban clusters of 10,000-49,999 persons and defined with the same criteria used to define metro areas.” Warren County is considered rural based on ERS data, while the other counties are smaller and considered Micropolitan areas. The overall goal for this funding, if awarded, will be to conduct all 10 required EMS grant activities, to support EMS policy development through process improvements based on grant experiences, and to develop two signature programs that align with grant requirements and initiatives of Ascension STEMS to increase services to 3 rural counties identified herein with higher needs for SUD support. Our project is called, Mental and Behavioral Aid (MBA). The 2 additional STEMS MBA project goals include 1) a Mental Health Resiliency Training Program (MHRTP) coupled with an “EMS Peers” support initiative to undergird mental health within our EMS provider ranks and 2) a Community Paramedic Program (CPP) that will support the needs of psychiatric patients in this area. For both programs, we will seek to train staff to provide improved EMS prehospital medicine to our patients in the identified catchment areas. The program aims to equip 15 EMS personnel more readily in one year, followed by a similar number in year two (if funded). These personnel will, in turn, provide mental health resiliency resources to their fellow EMS professionals in these communities, for additional individuals served. Finally, we aim to serve our communities through improved capabilities, therefore increasing the number of people served by this funding to our rural counties' residents, when the need arises.

Illinois EMS Region V serves the 20 southernmost counties in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Public Health classifies all 20 of these counties as rural. Illinois has seen a drastic decrease in the number of licensed EMTs and Paramedics in the state. From 2019 to 2021, licenses fell from 36,000 to just 8,200, a staggering 77% reduction. This decline has acutely impacted the four main EMS Systems within the region, especially the Southern Illinois Regional EMS System, which ideally operates with 7-9 active ambulance rigs, but currently operates with only 3 due to staffing shortages. In response, the Southern Illinois Regional EMS System has innovatively offered EMT classes in non-traditional settings outside the college campus, significantly reducing costs while still meeting all state licensing requirements. This approach has been somewhat successful, however, barriers to entry remain prevalent. The two primary challenges identified in EMS Region 5 are time constraints and financial barriers. To address these challenges, additional strategies must be considered such as flexible training schedules, financial assistance programs, and community outreach and awareness. With these challenges and solutions in mind, this program proposes an EMR course to be held in the first year for 25 students to train and license them as Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs). This EMR training will be a hybrid model, with online homework modules, 16 hours of in-person training and education more than the state required 52 hours (64 total), including 4 in person 4-hour sessions for cognitive and motor skills testing. A majority of these additional 12 hours will be devoted to learning about mental health and substance use disorders. The licensure test for this program has been approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health. To address the entry barriers identified by the Illinois EMS Region 5 Advisory Committee, the EMR training and licensure process will be completely free of charge with both financial stipends and mileage reimbursement offered to the participants. In year two of this program (pending approval from the Illinois Department of Public Health for approval of the course model) an EMR to EMT course will be held for 35 students to train and license them as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). This EMT training will be a hybrid model as well, similar to the composition of the EMR course, and will count an EMR license as credit towards the EMT training for information already covered. This course will be the first of its kind in the region and will serve as a case study for the stability of the platform. The benefit of this course for the region will be three-fold. First, the EMR License credit that is a part of this course will draw the interest of those who obtained their EMR license in year 1. Second, the addition of ten spots to the EMR to EMT training will draw in those who have been operating under an EMR license in the EMS system for years prior and expose them to the additional mental health and substance misuse training in the EMR to EMT training and licensure course. Third, the licensure of an additional 30 EMTs will help alleviate the severe staffing challenges that are currently being experienced in IL EMS Region 5. Similar to the EMR training and licensure held in year 1, to address the entry barriers identified by the Illinois EMS Region 5 Advisory Committee the EMR training and licensure process will be completely free of charge, with both financial stipends and mileage reimbursement offered to the participants.

This project seeks to enhance the capabilities of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel through specialized training focused on substance use and mental health response, addressing the critical needs arising from the increased prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in Rowan County, NC. This training initiative will equip first responders with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to effectively respond to incidents involving mental health crises and substance use emergencies, thereby improving patient outcomes and supporting public health objectives. The expected outcome of this project includes a marked improvement in the preparedness of EMS personnel to manage mental health and substance use emergencies, a reduction in the negative outcomes associated with such incidents, and a strengthened network of care and support for individuals in need. This initiative will not only enhance the quality of emergency medical services but also contribute to the broader goal of mitigating the impact of mental health and substance use disorders in the community. By addressing the urgent need for specialized training for EMS personnel to respond to substance use and mental health emergencies, this project represents a critical step forward in improving public health response capabilities, enhancing patient care, and fostering a healthier, more resilient community.