University Health Services plans to increase efforts to provide students with resources to prevent suicide in light of the University of Wisconsin’s second student suicide last Wednesday.
With money from a federal grant intended to aid prevention of suicide on college campuses, UHS will partner with Dean of Students Lori Berquam, the Associated Students of Madison, Active Minds and other organizations on campus to highlight mental health issues at UW.
According to Dr. Danielle Oakley, the director of counseling and consultation services at UHS, this is an opportunity for UW to bring a “gatekeeper program” to campus in order to help students, faculty and community members recognize mental health issues.
Oakley said UHS has also launched a “Red Folder Program” to educate faculty at UW. Over the course of three months, Oakley said the program distributed red folders that contain a summary of information that UHS provides to over 850 faculty and staff around campus.
“It isn’t the job of the faculty members to address mental health issues,” Oakley said. “Rather, the Red Folder Program will teach them how to recognize mental health problems among students, respond to them accordingly, and refer them to an appropriate resource.”
Oakley added UHS hopes to eliminate the stigma placed on seeking help for mental health issues by initiating the Red Folder Program.
According to Berquam, the program was in high demand among faculty and staff.
ASM Press Office Director David Gardner said he believes the Red Folder Program is very successful and effectively allows the faculty to communicate with students in areas that students may not otherwise be reached.
According to Gardner, UW has higher student suicide rates than the majority of schools in the Big Ten conference, a statistic that ASM and Berquam are “uncomfortable” with.
Berquam, in a meeting with the student government’s coordinating council, said she is uneasy about statistically quantifying suicides on campus and is more interested in looking for solutions, which Gardner said ASM is involved in.
“ASM and UHS will work on combating this,” Gardner said. “The key is interception. We need to figure out how we can make sure resources are available for struggling students.”
Oakley said UHS offers a number of these resources, including a 24-hour crisis line, free counseling services that do not require appointments and stress and wellness clinics.
Gardner added students who feel overwhelmed should also seek resources at the Dean of Students office.
In addition, Gardner said UHS will partner with ASM, Active Minds, Ask, Listen, Save, NAMI and SPILL to host a Mental Health Coalition Fair Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the School of Education Commons. The fair will offer de-stressing activities including yoga, dance, recreational sports, food and massages, Gardner said.
“Mental health has received a lot of attention recently, partly due to the emotional stress of finals season,” Gardner said. “The Mental Health Coalition Fair will focus on helping students alleviate stress and educating them about resources they can take advantage of.”
The UHS 24-Hour crisis line can be reached at 608-265-5600.
