Mount St.Joseph University                                                                                                                                

Suicide Prevention & Response Policy                               

Wellness Center

Division of Academic Affairs

Purpose:            The health, safety, and well-being of every student are central to Mount St. Joseph University's mission. Recognizing that suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young adults, the University is committed to fostering a caring, supportive, and connected campus community where students are encouraged to seek help, build resilience, and support one another.

Through the Wellness Center, Mount St. Joseph University provides a comprehensive continuum of mental health services that promotes emotional well-being, early intervention, and timely support for students experiencing emotional distress or mental health concerns. The University is committed to reducing stigma surrounding mental health, increasing awareness of available resources, strengthening protective factors, and creating a culture in which seeking help is viewed as a sign of strength.

This policy establishes a coordinated, compassionate approach to identifying, responding to, and supporting students who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, non-suicidal self-injury, or other significant mental health concerns. Through collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and community partners, Mount St. Joseph University strives to promote hope, safety, recovery, and student success while ensuring that individuals receive appropriate care and support.

Definition:         For the purposes of this policy:

·       Suicide is the intentional act of causing one's own death.

·       Suicide attempt is a non-fatal, self-directed behavior undertaken with the intent to end one's life. Suicide attempts may vary in severity and require immediate assessment and appropriate intervention.

·       Suicidal ideation refers to thoughts about wanting to die or ending one's life. These thoughts exist on a continuum and may range from passive thoughts (e.g., wishing not to wake up or believing others would be better off without them) to active thoughts involving a specific plan, intent, and access to means. Any expression of suicidal ideation should be taken seriously and responded to with compassion, support, and appropriate clinical evaluation.

Prevention

   Efforts             The goal of educational programming is to promote mental health awareness, build resilience, and increase understanding of the factors that influence emotional well-being. Educational initiatives are designed to help students, faculty, and staff recognize signs of emotional distress, respond with compassion, and connect individuals to appropriate resources and support.

The Wellness Center will provide ongoing outreach, training, and educational programs that address topics such as suicide prevention, stress management, anxiety, depression, resilience, healthy coping strategies, and overall mental well-being. These programs encourage help-seeking, reduce stigma associated with mental health concerns, and equip the campus community with the knowledge and skills to support a culture of care and belonging.

The Wellness Center offers Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training, an evidence-based program designed to equip members of the campus community with the knowledge and skills to recognize signs of emotional distress, engage in supportive conversations, and connect individuals with appropriate resources and care. Through QPR training, students, faculty, and staff are empowered to serve as caring members of the campus community by promoting help-seeking, reducing stigma, and strengthening a culture of connection, compassion, and support.

The Wellness Center has trained clinicians who provide this training. Training efforts are concentrated early in the academic year in the months of September and October, but can also be offered later in the academic year.  In addition to QPR Gatekeeper Trainings provided to the entire campus, specific groups are targeted for additional training: Resident Assistants, Health Sciences Majors, and Student Leaders.  Other programming throughout the year includes topics that reduce the stigma related to mental health and to increase awareness of suicide prevention efforts.

Parental

Notification       Suicidal situations are highly individual.  The primary goal of this policy is the student’s safety.  To achieve this, a student’s designated emergency contact, found in Mount Connect, will be informed as necessary, under the direction of the Director of Wellness Center to promote the safety of the student and others whose health, life or safety may be endangered.  The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFS 99.36) provides for the release of normally protected student data when it is believed that the student represents a health or safety risk to self or others. Whenever possible, consent is requested from the student before an emergency contact is notified.  

Intervention     

As part of a proactive approach to supporting student well-being and identifying opportunities for early intervention, the Wellness Center administers the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS) to incoming first-year and transfer students during Welcome Week at the beginning of the fall semester.

In addition, all student-athletes participate in the CCAPS screening annually as part of their required athletic physical process. This assessment targets 7 areas of concern including Suicidal Ideation.

Following completion of the assessment, the Wellness Center provides all participating students with information about available mental health services, wellness resources, and how to schedule an appointment.

To support early identification and timely connection to care, the Wellness Center will follow up with students who may benefit from additional support, including:

·       Students who endorse suicidal ideation will be contacted by a Wellness Center clinician for follow-up and support.

·       Students who demonstrate moderate or significant elevations across two or more assessment scales will be contacted to discuss available resources and support options.

·       Students whose needs require a higher level of care or more specialized services will be supported through referral and connection to appropriate off-campus providers.

The Wellness Center approaches outreach with a commitment to compassion, confidentiality, and student-centered care, recognizing that proactive support and connection to resources are important components of overall student well-being.

Training Opportunities on Mental Health 101 and Student Supportive Strategies are offered throughout the year for all faculty and staff. Crisis Resources are also available on the Wellness Center website at: www.msj.edu/wellness.

Wellness Center Staff:  The Counseling Staff from the Wellness center consists of independently licensed mental health providers who are guided by the ethical standard of their respective professions:

·       American Counseling Association (ACA)

·       National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

The Wellness Center mental health providers are responsible for understanding and complying with the ethical standards of their professions.  The general requirement that counselors and social workers keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is necessary to prevent clear and foreseeable danger to the student or others who are assessed to be at an imminent safety risk.  Counselors consult with other professionals when in doubt as to the validity of an exception (ACA Code of Ethics. B.2.b.; NASW Code of Ethics: Ethical Standards. 1.07).

                             The Wellness Center provides consulting services to University faculty and staff upon request to assist personnel in working with students on issues related to suicide or mental health crisis protocol.  University faculty and/or staff who have questions relating to suicide are encouraged to call the Wellness Center office during normal business hours. 

Emergency

Intervention      Because suicidal thoughts and behaviors can have serious consequences, early identification and timely support for individuals experiencing distress are essential. Members of the campus community are encouraged to seek assistance whenever a student expresses thoughts of suicide, communicates feelings of hopelessness, or engages in behaviors that may indicate they are experiencing a mental health crisis.

The University is committed to responding with compassion, care, and appropriate intervention to support student safety and well-being. The following guidelines outline the University’s response procedures for situations involving potential mental health emergencies:

General Policy: Faculty and Staff are directed to call 911 and/or Campus Police, 513-244-4200 for any life-threatening emergency. 

·       Mental Health emergencies will be directed to UC Health (Psychiatric ER) or TriHealth Good Samaritan Hospital unless the student has another preferred provider. The Wellness Center will utilize UC Health Mobile Crisis Team during on-campus mental health emergencies.

·       Documentation of any services or consultations provided in response will be documented in a secure Electronic Health Record.

·       If a student is admitted to the hospital for a medical emergency, the Vice Provost will contact the professors of the student to let them know that there was a medical emergency which may require a student to miss some classes. 

Return to

Campus              It is important to ensure the safety of the student and of the University community following a mental health or medical emergency resulting in a student leaving campus for treatment.  The University desires to facilitate a smooth transition back to campus for the student who has been in crisis.  In addition, the University must also safeguard the safety and well-being of the campus community. Any student who experiences a mental health emergency is required to check in with the Director of Wellness or a Wellness Center Clinician on the next business day following their release from the hospital or emergency room.

·       Students who are hospitalized for a mental health emergency are asked to have their Discharge Summary faxed to the Wellness Center at 513.244.4594.

·       Students should contact Student Accessibility Services at 513-244-4623 or email StudentAccessibilityServices@msj.edu to obtain a copy of the Temporary Illness Form or Medical Leave Form.

·       The Director of Wellness or a Wellness Center Clinician will communicate with Chief Belonging Officer or the Director of Residence Life for any mental health emergency involving a Resident Hall student.

Follow-up

The student who has been identified as at risk for suicide, is expected to cooperate with university personnel and/or medical personnel in taking any necessary measures to reduce the likelihood that a suicide attempt will be made. Once the student is released from the hospital or emergency room, they are expected to check in with the Wellness Center Director or Wellness Center clinician on the next business day following their release.

·       Counseling services at the Wellness Center are available to the students for ongoing care.  If a higher level of care is warranted, the Wellness Center will make appropriate referrals.  If appropriate, a medical leave is another possibility for the student.  A Temporary Illness Form or Medical Leave Form can be completed by the student’s doctor or license clinician and emailed to StudentAccessibilityServices@msj.edu to begin this process.

·       Whenever possible, the student will be assisted to continue enrollment at the University.  This decision will be made by the student in consultation with medical personnel, the Wellness Center, Student Accessibility Services, Mission & Belonging administration, and any other staff/faculty necessary to make a decision that is in the best interest of the student.