Our History & Approach
In 2011, the William & Mary Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Ginger Ambler, determined that suicide prevention would be a high priority on campus. A proposal to build a comprehensive, coordinated suicide prevention program resulted in a substantial grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 3-year Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant allowed for the creation of numerous cross-campus collaborations and programs.
Through the grant, William & Mary was able to begin, continue, and expand many efforts related to mental health promotion and suicide prevention. Some of the efforts associated with the grant include:
- Tribe Rides - providing free rides to students to access mental health services off campus
- Integrating depression screenings into Student Health Center visits
- Promoting the online At-Risk program to students, faculty, and staff
- Hosting mental health and alcohol screening days
- Increasing resilience programming, including the Authentic Excellence Initiative
- Promoting an anti-stigma campaign
An outgrowth of the Garrett Lee Smith Grant was the development of a relationship with the Jed Foundation, a national organization dedicated to promoting mental health and reducing suicide on college campuses. In 2015, W&M was identified as a JED Campus School. For the next four years, the William & Mary Mental Health Task Force worked collaboratively with the Jed Foundation to continue modifying and enhancing William & Mary’s evidenced-based, comprehensive suicide prevention plan.
At the end of our collaboration with JED, the Task Force was provided with outcome recommendations for future suicide prevention work at William & Mary. These recommendations have been the focus of the SPC, which is made up of representatives of diverse entities across campus.
