Increase help-seeking behavior

On January 22, 2019, JED Campus hosted a call to discuss developing and implementing Let’s Talk programs. Greg Eells, PhD (Cornell University), Sudha Wadhwani, PsyD (Montclair State University), and Jude Uy, PhD (Montclair State University), presented how “Let’s Talk” has evolved at their institutions and shared their tips for success. Listen to the full audio recording below to hear why Dr. Eells says, “Even if I was a counseling center of one, I would make time for Let’s Talk – it’s that valuable.”

Click here to access the MP3 recording.

myStrength | Digital Behavioral Health

Posted on October 29, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

The myStrength experience is based in clinical models like cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, positive psychology, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing – proven interventions that have helped millions improve and sustain health and well-being. myStrength adjusts each day and with every interaction. Preferences and goals, current emotional and motivational states, ongoing life events are all captured. Sophisticated machine learning algorithms create individualized myStrength experiences which include interactive programs, in-the-moment coping tools, inspirational resources and community support. myStrength offers depth and breadth to build resiliency, manage stress, improve mood, sleep better or simply find daily inspiration. Their platform empowers users with individualized pathways incorporating multiple programs to help manage and overcome co-occurring challenges.

Click here to learn more about myStrength on their website.

ConcernCenter

Posted on October 3, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

ConcernCenter is a new tool that puts support in your student’s hands. Students simply identify their concern and are provided with a prioritized list of helpful resources. “Resources” can be people, offices, or even off-campus services that have been previously identified by college personnel to assist students with that particular concern.

ConcernCenter is fully customizable to your institution and is compatible with Google Analytics so you can see which concerns your students are selecting most often. ConcernCenter is also Section 508 Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, so every student has the opportunity to get the support they need.

Click here to watch a short overview video of ConcernCenter.

All JED Campus Members receive the benefit of a 10% discount of a one-time fee or yearly subscription plan (at least a $1,000 value).
Please contact Erin Halligan-Avery, PhD, with inquiries and/or to set-up a demo of the platform:

Contact: Erin Halligan-Avery
Website: www.concerncenter.com

Help-Seeking and Access to Mental Health Care in a University Student Population

Posted on October 2, 2018March 17, 2021 by JED Campus Learning Community

Eisenberg and colleagues explored how various factors are associated with help-seeking and access to mental health services in a university student population. Results of a web-based survey to a random sample of 2785 students attending a large public university revealed that predictors of college students not receiving mental health care include: not perceiving a need for services, being unaware of available mental health services or insurance coverage, skepticism about the effectiveness of treatment, low socioeconomic status growing up, and identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander.

Click here to read the full article through your institution’s access to Medical Care, published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

NIDA – National Institute on Drug Abuse

Posted on October 2, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

NIDA’s mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health.

This involves:

Strategically supporting and conducting basic and clinical research on drug use (including nicotine), its consequences, and the underlying neurobiological, behavioral, and social mechanisms involved.
Ensuring the effective translation, implementation, and dissemination of scientific research findings to improve the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and enhance public awareness of addiction as a brain disorder.

You can link the NIDA website on your school’s counseling and health service websites to increase help-seeking behavior, or use NIDA to inform your substance abuse policies.

Publicly available screening tools

Posted on October 1, 2018August 16, 2023 by JED Campus Learning Community

The following screening tools are publicly accessible, and can be helpful resources to make available on your institution’s website. Click the links to download any of the screening tools below:

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale
CAGE AID Assessment – a quick questionnaire to help determine whether an alcohol and/or other drug assessment is needed.

ULifeline [JED]

Posted on September 26, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

ULifeline is a project of The Jed Foundation (JED) dedicated to giving students and counselors access to specific resources accessible on their respective campuses. ULifeline includes a library of information on different mental health conditions focused on the university student experience, as well as giving school counselors analytics about how students access these resources.

ULifeline includes the “Self Evaluator,” which helps provide students with information about available resources at their school. The ULifeline Self Evaluator can become an invaluable resource towards your efforts to increase help-seeking behavior on your campus.

To sign up your school for the ULifeline program, register here.

Click here to view the ULifeline website.

Half of Us [JED]

Posted on September 26, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

Through Half of Us, mtvU and The Jed Foundation (JED) aim to initiate a public dialogue to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and connect students to the appropriate resources to get help. Half of Us resources are designed to decrease the stigma around mental health and encourage help-seeking through online videos, resources, and toolkits.

Click here to visit the Half of Us website.

NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness

Posted on September 26, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, NAMI education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states. The toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows NAMI to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free referral, information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks, successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.

Click here to access the NAMI website.
Click here to view NAMI’s infographic and fact sheet library.

Intervene Bystander Training Program by Cornell Health

Posted on February 5, 2018August 14, 2023 by JED Campus Learning Community

The Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell Health, in collaboration with the Cornell Interactive Theater Ensemble, has developed a new bystander intervention video and workshop called Intervene © 2016.

Intervene is both a 20 minute video and a 60 minute workshop that are:

based on real-life situations faced by students at Cornell and beyond
grounded in social behavior theories and public health research
developed and evaluated by the Skorton Center at Cornell Health

Intervene was designed to be used among undergraduate, graduate, and professional college students. Secondary audiences for Intervene include university staff, faculty, parents, alumni, and other academic institutions. The following resources are available from Cornell to the public at no cost, in the collaborative spirit of cultivating college health and well-being:

One-page program overview (pdf)
Facilitator Discussion Guide (PowerPoint)

AFSP – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Posted on February 5, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

Established in 1987, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death.

AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies:

Funding scientific research
Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention
Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention
Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide in our mission

The AFSP website has many resources that can be applied to the college setting.

YOU at College

Posted on January 8, 2018August 16, 2023 by JED Campus Learning Community

YOU at College connects students to the right resources at the right time to build resilience, increase mental health literacy, and encourage help seeking behaviors to prevent suicide. As a student-centric digital platform, YOU centralizes and personalizes online evidence-based/supported and campus well-being resources to support the comprehensive student experience to avoid crises prior to their development.

YOU at College is a digital platform designed to foster health and well-being for each and every student. The portal connects students to customized resources to increase self-awareness and resilience to prevent the development of academic, physical, and mental health crises. YOU was developed through a public-private partnership with Colorado State University to address the overwhelming increase in utilization of counseling center services, the issue of suicide on college campuses, and the overall pressures negatively impacting the mental health and well-being of today’s college students. Content within YOU is customized for your campus and optimized to connect each unique student with online evidence-based/supported and campus resources that match their unique identities and current challenges through a student completed profile and proprietary screening tools within the platform. Since its development in 2015, You at College has grown to include campus partners across the country including public, private, professional, and community colleges ranging in size from 200 – 60,000+ students.

All JED Campus Members receive the benefit of waived customization fees (a $3,000-$5,000 value).

To learn more and to request a demo please refer to their main page: YOU at College: Main Product Page

YOU at College: White Paper — College Student Well-Being Hub Promotes Student Success, Resilience, and Mental Health

Sample destigmatization campaigns

Posted on January 8, 2018May 16, 2022 by JED Campus Learning Community

Below are a collection of destigmatization campaigns that JED Campuses and other schools have successfully created and implemented.
We hope they are helpful as you seek to do similar work on your campuses.

University of Michigan: Athletes Connected
Cornell University: Beneath the Surface Program
Drexel University: Clubs at Drexel to destigmatize mental health
UW Madison: Email to students around stigma
Sewanee: University of the South: Let’s Talk
University of Mary Washington: How To Help A Friend
NC State University: #StopTheStigma Emmy-winning video
The University of California, Davis: Each Aggie Matters

Additionally, you can also click the following link to read about effective messaging strategies to fight stigma from the American Psychiatric Association.

Sample Wellness Campaigns, Websites, and Wellness Days

Posted on January 8, 2018October 30, 2023 by JED Campus Learning Community

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Sources of Strength

Posted on January 7, 2018October 23, 2019 by JED Campus Learning Community

Sources of Strength is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults. Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard they have strengths to rely on.

Visit Sources of Strength.

We Are Talking About Practice: the Influence of Mindfulness vs. Relaxation Training on Athletes’ Attention and Well-Being over High-Demand Intervals

Posted on January 7, 2018March 19, 2021 by JED Campus Learning Community

A study from the University of Miami and published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement involved the use of meditation and relaxation techniques for student athletes. The data gathered suggest that mental training of almost any kind may help to alleviate some of the emotional and cognitive strains that otherwise occur during physical training.

Abstract:

We investigated the impact of short-form mindfulness training (MT) vs. relaxation training (RT) programs on sustained attention and emotional well-being in college football players (N = 100) during their high-demand pre-season training interval. Participants received 4 weeks of MT (n = 56) or RT (n = 44) and completed the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) and questionnaires assessing emotional well-being before and after the training period. Sustained attention was assessed via SART outcomes indexing performance (A′), reaction time variability (intraindividual coefficient of variation (ICV)), and self-reported mind wandering and meta-awareness (Probe 1, Probe 2), while emotional well-being was assessed via the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (State; STAI-S), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Overall, behavioral measures of sustained attention (A′, ICV) and self-report measures of emotional well-being (PANAS Positive, STAI-S, CES-D) declined during the training interval, suggesting that this was a high-demand interval with cognitive and emotional consequences. Further, while group effects comparing training programs were non-significant, greater engagement (i.e., practice and adherence) in MT, but not RT, predicted greater benefits, akin to protection-from-decline, on SART behavioral indices (A′, ICV). Greater engagement in both MT and RT predicted negative change in anxiety and positive change in positive affect over the high-demand interval. These results suggest that, similar to physical training, athletes must sufficiently engage in MT and RT to experience the distinct and overlapping benefits these programs offer over cognitively and emotionally demanding intervals, such as pre-season athletic training.

Click here to access the full article through your institution’s subscription to Springer Link.

New Data on the Nature of Suicidal Crises in College Students: Shifting the Paradigm

Posted on January 7, 2018March 19, 2021 by JED Campus Learning Community

This study analyzes data and promotes a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention by redefining it as an institution centered problem. Hence the entire administrative structure of the university will have to be engaged to intervene at all points of the suicide continuum as is promoted in JED Campus.

Abstract:

This article presents new data on the nature of suicidal crises in college students. Data were collected from over 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students at 70 colleges and universities. An anonymous Web-based survey was designed to provide insight into the full spectrum of suicidal thought, intent, and action among college students. The authors discuss implications of these data and outline a new, problem-focused paradigm for conceptualizing the problem of college student suicidality and for guiding institutional policies and interventions at multiple points along the continuum of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The proposed paradigm encompasses and expands on the current model of treating individuals in crisis in order to act preventively to reduce both prevalence and incidence of all forms of suicidality among college students.

Click here to purchase the full article.

JED Recommendations: INCREASE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR

Posted on January 1, 2018August 4, 2020 by JED Campus Learning Community

Promoting help seeking is an important early intervention for a student in crisis and/or experiencing mental health or substance abuse issues. Ideally, students will be comfortable with and knowledgeable about asking for help. Two core objectives that can promote help seeking are: removing the burden of stigma associated with mental health problems and increasing access to resource information.

Often, students experiencing emotional distress are reluctant to seek out help because they are skeptical about the effectiveness of treatment and/or they are influenced by prejudices associated with mental illness. Educational/informational campaigns that serve to eliminate the stigma of mental health and substance abuse problems can help alter negative perceptions and increase the likelihood that a student will seek out help when it is needed. Additionally, activities and measures that increase awareness about campus/off-campus mental health services can serve to eliminate barriers to help seeking that result from a student’s simply not knowing what resources are available. Education about available resources, cost of treatment, and insurance coverage, etc., will equip students with reliable information when there is a need to seek help.

In this domain, schools can take the following action steps:

Create counseling and health center websites that are easily accessible for students, ideally available within two clicks of the main page of the school’s website.
Cross-reference/link counseling center, health services and health education websites where applicable.
Implement campaigns/programs to encourage help-seeking by destigmatizing mental health and substance abuse problems on campus. Programs and campaigns should:
- Inform students about campus resources for emotional support or substance education/treatment
- Normalize and destigmatize mental health problems
- When possible, be designed and delivered by students (either student-run, or with significant input from students)
- Utilize a wide range of methods including mental health fairs, activities to decrease stress, brochures/posters, campus newspaper, radio or TV station, theater, and social media
- Be strategically timed:
  - focused on stimulant use/diversion during exam times
  - focused on substance use/misuse during known school events/party times
Utilize online resources from other organizations to enhance wellness messaging and resources.
- Providing online screening tools for mental health and substance abuse may help students who may not otherwise seek counseling but will take an online screening
- Screening tools should be either linked to or featured on home page, counseling page and other appropriate sites on the school’s website
- Screening tools should include information about available resources (on- and off-campus) in the event that a student screens positive
- Examples of screening tools (or school can create their own):
  - ULifeline Self Evaluator
  - Screening for Mental Health
  - Publicly available screening tools (such as PHQ, GAD7, CAGE)
  - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Interactive Screening Program
Develop or enhance peer counseling programs.

THIS CONTENT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE JED CAMPUS PLAYBOOK GUIDE.
To view all playbook resources within the Increase Help-Seeking Behavior domain, click here.

Suggested Audiences:

INCREASE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR