Long-term Impact of a Campus Suicide Prevention Program

Abstract

An increasing number of college students face significant mental health problems (ACHA, 2007), which places them at elevated risk for suicide. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for college students (AAS, 2012; CDC, 2009). Unfortunately, many universities and colleges lack resources to effectively manage, intervene with, and prevent suicidal behavior (Gallagher, 2007). As a result, college students are often identifying their own mental health needs and frequently turn to peers for support (Haas et al., 2003). The purpose of this study was to create, implement, and evaluate the long-term (1-month) effects of a suicide awareness/gatekeeper prevention program for students.