Framework for Developing Institutional Protocols for the Acutely Distressed or Suicidal College Student
As a member of the higher education community, you have probably worked with students in extreme emotional distress; most likely, you also know a student who has attempted or died by suicide. Unfortunately, no college or university is immune to these events. It is estimated that 1,100 college students die by suicide every year – an average of three per day (National Mental Health Association/The Jed Foundation, 2002).
In response to the lack of consensus among colleges and universities about what constitutes a comprehensive, campus-wide approach to managing the acutely distressed or suicidal student, The Jed Foundation held a roundtable discussion on November 18, 2005 that included senior college administrators, college counselors and other mental health practitioners, and attorneys specializing in college issues.
The product of the roundtable, Framework for Developing Institutional Protocols for the Acutely Distressed or Suicidal College Student (Framework), provides your college or university community, regardless of its size, culture, and resources, with a list of issues to consider when drafting or revising protocols relating to the management of the student in acute distress or at risk for suicide. The Framework is divided into the following three sections, each of which is structured as a series of questions.
- Developing a safety protocol
- Developing an emergency contact notification protocol
- Developing a leave of absence and re-entry protocol
To download the Framework:
- Click here for color printers
- Click here for black & white printers
For more information, please contact Joanna Locke, MD, MPH, at 212-647-7544 or use our contact form.
Co-sponsored by the American College Health Association (ACHA), American College Personnel Association (ACPA), Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), and National Association of Student Personal Administrators (NASPA).
