Wabash Wellness Initiative - The Wabash Wellness Initiative (WWI) will focus on all students at Wabash College (WC). In late 2020, WC became a JED campus and completed an assessment of service gaps and infrastructure development needs related to improving student mental health and preventing suicide. WWI will address identified gaps and needs and serve 840 students in Year 1, and 240 incoming students in Years 2 and 3 for a total of 1,320 students. WC is one of only three all male, private, liberal arts colleges in the US. All students live on campus, 77% are white, 23% are students of color, 3% identify as LGBTQ+, 4% are from other countries, 25% Pell eligible, and 29% first gen college students. 2020-21 Healthy Minds Study results showed WC students binge drink more than the national average and 38.5% experienced symptoms of at least one significant mental health problem. In the last five years, two WC students committed suicide; four attempted suicide; and 19 required emergency room visits/ hospitalization due to suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts, or substance use crises. Two male staff members and one former male faculty member also died by suicide. Since February 2022, seven WC students have withdrawn for mental health reasons. The nearest appropriate mental health services are 30 miles away. WWI will be organized on the public health framework for preventing suicide on college campuses comprised of four levels of influence (Societal/Structural, Community/Contextual, Interpersonal/Relational, and Individual). A Wellness Council of students, faculty, and staff will provide structure and accountability, and four working committees (one for each level of influence) will complete tasks. Identified gaps and needs will be addressed by month 24, be fully implemented throughout year three, and lead to improved student mental health. WWI will enhance mental health, prevent and reduce suicide and mental and substance use disorders, promote help-seeking behavior, and improve identification and treatment of at-risk students. OBJECTIVES: • Societal/Structural: Implement: (1) protocol for violation of non-discrimination policy; (2) consolidated health/mental health electronic health records; (3) medical leave policy; (4) student mental health strategic plan; (5) tuition insurance. • Community/Contextual: Implement: (1) calendar of evidence-based activities; (2) assessments/screenings connected to information/referrals; (3) distribution of research-based information to parents/students/faculty/staff; (4) environmental lethal-means scans and reducing lethal means for high-risk students; (5) drug take-back program. • Interpersonal/Relational: Implement: (1) expanded living unit visits addressing mental health; (2) Student Wellness Leaders; (3) approaches to reach non-engaged students; (4) gatekeeper training to 80% of students and 50% of faculty/staff; (5) structured life skills training and development program. • Individual: Implement: (1) telemental health service available 24/7/365; (2) review of postvention protocols with faculty/staff; (3) recovery mentoring program and on-campus recovery community; (4) changes to triage procedures; (5) changes to BIT system; (6) family notification protocol. WWI includes ongoing data collection, assessment, and reporting that meet SAMHSA requirements and a bi-annual Review/Reflect/Revise process through which the Wellness Council and project staff will continuously monitor data and use it for project improvement.
