"Through Our LENS (Learning, Engagement, Network, Safety)" - Lipscomb University proposes "Through our LENS" (Learning, Engagement, Network, Safety)." This project will raise awareness about suicide prevention through new programming servicing veteran students, minority students, and students with disabilities; will "train the trainers" in "Question, Persuade, Refer" (QPR); and will produce a professional-quality video addressing mental health topics in an engaging way for young adults that can be used by other universities. The Campus Suicide Prevention Grant from SAMHSA will enable Lipscomb to build capacity and infrastructure, and Lipscomb's leadership is committed to sustaining the crisis protocols and the programming begun under this grant beyond the duration of the requested funding. The goals for the program will be to increase awareness of suicide prevention and mental health in the Lipscomb community and increase the capacity to provide effective suicide prevention and mental health resources. Each year of the project, Lipscomb will train 900 freshman students in QPR, 200 faculty and staff in mental health topics, and will reach the entire student population of 4,000 with mental health awareness messages. The collection of data from surveys will detect the percentage of awareness before and after the dissemination of materials, training and seminars that are a result of the grant to the populations at risk in the Lipscomb community (veterans, minority, disabilities, and students with substance abuse issues) as well as the overall campus population. The Office of Institutional Research will partner with the Counseling Center to complete the data base in place for accuracy in order to collect, analyze and report the data efficiently and without error.
