MICHIGAN: CAPS Expands Program, Releases New Suicide Prevention Videos
March 24, 2017
The University of Michigan is expanding its suicide prevention efforts across its campus. The university’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) recently released a series of short films to promote awareness about suicide prevention and mental health promotion, which encourage students who are struggling to reach out for help. In partnership with student groups, academic units, and mental health services, CAPS is also taking steps to widen the scope of its suicide prevention initiative, Stop Student Suicide. These steps include training students, faculty, and staff in the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) method of identifying and assisting those at risk for suicide, and increasing the number of mental health counselors available on campus. In an e-mail to the student body, CAPS Director Todd Sevig encouraged the formation of a campus-wide support network in which everyone plays a role in preventing suicide. “In order to reduce the silence and the mystery that surrounds suicide, we offer these new videos focused on what contributes to thoughts of suicide and more importantly, how you can respond,” he wrote.
Spark Extra! Read about the CAPS Stop Student Suicide initiative.