The campus is more than a place to study—it’s a community where students live, work, and play. No matter if you’re an administrator, adjunct professor, residence life director, or student body president, you play a vital role in crisis and suicide prevention and mental health promotion. 

Recent results from our 2024 Crisis and Suicide Prevention survey also reveal that 98% of responding faculty and staff have been approached by a student to discuss mental health and 77% have been approached to discuss suicidal ideation. So it’s imperative that faculty and staff have the tools and training to respond appropriately. 

In our webinar featuring experts from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, East Carolina University, and Colorado State University, we discuss the many ways in which faculty and staff can support students at risk or those in crisis. 

We share the biggest takeaways from the webinar discussion and offer actionable insights for higher education leaders. 

Help create a culture of care

If you want students to feel comfortable help-seeking, focus on building trust with them. This starts with one-on-one conversations, normalizing discussions around mental health and suicide, and modeling self-care practices. 

This starts with conversations, says Erik J. Kneubuehl, EdD, Associate Vice Chancellor at East Carolina University explains. Go to different places on campus, such as the student center, residential halls, greek housing, the dining hall, and/or multicultural centers, and talk directly to students. 

By simply showing up to public spaces, introducing yourself to students, being actively present, and asking students how they’re doing, you’re establishing a relationship that can prove critical when a student is experiencing a mental health concern. 

Create a central hub for reporting concerns

When it comes to crisis prevention, “see something, say something” is a valuable approach. Often students in crisis will exhibit changes in behavior. Maybe a student who is typically reserved is now acting out in the classroom or engaging in risky behaviors. Maybe a student who is normally sociable is withdrawing from friends. If you recognize a change in the way a student talks or behaves, you want to flag that. 

Having a central place on campus for reporting on and addressing students of concern is vital. This hub could be accessible via a text/chat line or be an email used by your institution’s care team. Make sure this lives outside of counseling, so the information can be shared cross-departmentally and not be constrained by HIPAA laws.

Make resources accessible and known to students

“When students find themselves in crisis, they don’t seek out something that’s very new and different and strange. They want safety, community, and familiarity… they seek out things that make them feel comfortable and safe… Introduce students to the resources and make it a normal part of campus life.” – Vic Armstrong, MSW, Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Sharing these resources early and often is key, starting with orientation but continuing throughout a student’s college career. It’s also important to bring these resources to the students rather than wait for students to discover them. This could be as simple as promoting the counseling center and 24/7 crisis helpline in syllabi, on Blackboard, via email, on posters, and social media. 

When it comes to providing mental health services and treatment, you also want to keep as much of it on campus as possible, even if virtual. When a student has to go off campus to get a diagnosis or medication, for example, there are added challenges (transportation may be required, cost may be high, etc.) and it makes it harder for campus leaders to keep track of a student’s condition and outcome.

Focus on a mixed methods training approach 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to crisis and suicide prevention, especially when it comes to training faculty and staff, as every individual has a different role, experience, and understanding. This is why Dr. Kneubuehl recommends a mixed methods approach. 

Instead of offering just one type of crisis and suicide prevention training or program or replacing what you already have, institution’s should add in new and different ones. Perhaps your institution offers Mental Health First Aid, but do they also offer QPR Training? Does your institution utilize an Interactive Screening Program (ISP)? Have you considered more targeted training, such as L.E.T.S. Save Lives, a presentation addressing crisis and suicide prevention in the Black and African American communities? 

Additionally, Dr. Kneubuehl recommends training faculty and staff on existing campus resources and referral pathways. They don’t necessarily have to know how to intervene, but they need to know who to contact and how to get students the help they need. The more resources you provide, the better – and this will increase faculty and staff’s confidence in recognizing and responding appropriately to a student or even a peer who may be in crisis. 

Recognize the role of the student

Studies indicate that the majority of young people are more comfortable seeking help from their peers than professionals, which is why faculty and staff should engage students in crisis and suicide prevention. 

Focus on connecting with student organizations, athletics, and student leaders who Armstrong calls “trusted messengers.” Share campus resources with them, encourage them to talk about mental health, and train them on crisis and suicide prevention and intervention.

When creating safe spaces, in which students are encouraged to be vulnerable, to share their experiences, make sure this space is actually safe. If there are repercussions for sharing or being vulnerable, students won’t return – and they will lose trust in the system. 

Encourage decision-makers to invest in more resources

Regardless of your campus size and budget, support often starts at the top, with the administration. As a champion of mental health, you can work with other champions and advocate for more mental health and wellness support. 

How can you influence major decision-makers? “Make it relevant to them,” Armstrong suggests – and remind them that suicide is still the second leading cause of death among young adults. They may not think it’s happening on their campus, but suicidality is happening on every campus across the country.

Focus on best practices, proven solutions, and data. Showcase what other similar schools are doing. Find a way to incorporate this into the institution’s existing goals. If mental health support (such as peer support, telepsychiatry, etc.) aligns with their agenda – and supports one of their main goals – they’ll be more likely to consider it.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Conversations around mental health and suicide are necessary, but they don’t always feel natural – and in fact, you may feel like you’re unqualified to have them. 

“As somebody who has these conversations for a living,” Adam Sargent, PhD, Director of General Counseling Services, Colorado State University, says. “You don’t get comfortable with them. [Talking about suicide] can be hard, sad, and heavy. It can be awkward having these conversations.” 

You might get it wrong. You might not know what to say. You might not have been in this situation before, but it’s important to try having the conversation, Dr. Sargent explains. This is what matters most. You’re not expected to be a professional and have the right words; you just need to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Remember, suicide is not a disease; it’s not a criminal act. As Armstrong explains it, “It’s a health outcome [and] it’s the worst possible outcome of a combination of a lot of complex things that often includes mental health challenges. This means we have opportunities to intervene before a person reaches that point of suicidality.”

As with other health outcomes, he says, there are things we can do to prevent suicide – and one of the best deterrents is social connection. 

Watch the webinar recording here and reach out if you wish to learn more about Mantra’s crisis support services for higher ed institutions.

Note: If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call your campus crisis line or the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to connect with a crisis counselor immediately.