Saturday, May 10, 2025
5/10/2025
Gannon University Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project - Gannon University Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project Abstract Gannon University (GU) is applying for a SAMHSA GLS grant to support a suicide prevention, improved mental health, and alcohol and other drug prevention program using the three-tiered public health model. The populations of focus for this grant are Pell-eligible, low income, and commuting students. GU will serve faculty, staff, and students via universal and targeted programming and individual interventions over three years. Evidence based tools used will be JED Campus, Kognito, Mental Health First Aid, and QPR, plus TimelyCare for telehealth. Gannon University has 3,165 undergraduates, 68% are white non-Hispanic, 6% Black, 41% are first-generation, and 32% are Pell-eligible, with 39% of students commuting. Unfortunately, Gannon University experienced a student suicide. The student, who was engaged in activities throughout campus, took his life in a residence hall. As this shook the Gannon community to its core requests for counseling, which were already on the rise (from 2017 to 2021 – students seen increased by 101%, and number of appointments by 179%) increased significantly. The goals of Gannon University Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project are: Goal 1: To implement infrastructure to support the success and sustainability of the initiatives to promote the health, safety, and well-being of students. Objective (Obj) 1.1: Continue the Mental Well-Being Initiative, meeting monthly, bringing together on-and off-campus partners, with subgroups for the eight dimensions of wellness. Obj. 1.2: Become a JED Campus in year one, completing and conduct the Healthy Minds survey once during the grant period and once the year after the grant. Obj. 1.3: Based on the Healthy Minds survey results and JED campus assessment, develop a Gannon suicide prevention strategic plan, including development, review, and revision of policies. Goal 2: To improve Gannon University’s faculty, staff, and student’s ability to identify and respond to members of the GU family in crisis or suffering from MH distress or AOD misuse. Obj. 2.1: Annually train 100 faculty and staff and 100 students in MHFA and/or QPR. Obj. 2.2: Annually 50% of faculty and staff, and 25% students will complete the at-risk Kognito module covering MH, suicide prevention, and coping strategies. Goal 3: To identify students in need of assistance, intervention, and/or treatment before they are in a state of crisis, abusing AOD, or experiencing suicidal ideation. Obj. 3.1: Conduct anonymous and voluntary event-specific and campus wide screenings, plus continue to make Ulifeline available, reaching 100 students annually (duplicated count). Obj. 3.2: Review all (approximately 700) athletes’ screeners annually and refer athletes at-risk of concerns to CC for additional assessments. Obj. 3.3: Conduct two outreach events per semester throughout the three-year grant period. Goal 4: To intervene when students are at-risk of or experiencing a MH or AOD issue or crisis. Obj. 4.1: Increase warm referral handoffs of students accessing counseling services to off-campus providers from 20% baseline to 75% by year three. Obj. 4.2: Via TC, 300 unique students will access either scheduled counseling, TalkNow on-demand counseling, or psychiatric appointments annually. Gannon University will serve, via direct service interventions such as screening or counseling and training, a duplicated count of 6,078 over three years: 1,808 in year one, 2,024 in year two, and 2,246 in year three. This does not include students, faculty, or staff reached through social media, outreach, or information materials.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).