What is the PSU Suicide Prevention Collaborative?
The Suicide Prevention Collaborative at PSU guides the implementation and programming of Portland State’s Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention grant. The Suicide Prevention Collaborative consists of faculty, staff, and students who are invested in student mental health and shaping suicide prevention programming on campus. From 2021-2023, the Collaborative has worked on many projects related to mental health and suicide prevention that we wanted to share with the PSU community.
Current members of the Suicide Prevention Collaborative at PSU include students, staff and faculty from the following departments:
- Center for Student Health and Counseling
- School of Social Work
- Dean of Student Life / PSU CARES
- School of Business, Advising
- College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
- University Housing & Residence Life
- Counselor Education Department
- Department of Sociology
- University Studies
- Campus Public Safety
- PSU Athletics
- Office of International Student & Scholar Services
- Transfer & Returning Student Resource Center
- Queer Resource Center
- Veterans Resource Center
- Disability Resource Center
- Women’s Resource Center
- Basic Needs Hub
- Campus Rec
Are you interested in joining the PSU Suicide Prevention Collaborative? Reach out to Marcy Hunt: mhun2@pdx.edu.
What is "Care.Ask.Connect."?
SHAC and the School of Social Work, in partnership with PSU students and Aedin Powell Media, have developed an asynchronous suicide prevention training course called “Care. Ask. Connect.” By participating in the Care. Ask. Connect. course, participants will:
- Learn how to support someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide
- Learn about mental health resources on- and off-campus
- Learn about important considerations for supporting communities that experience elevated risk for suicide, including: military-affiliated, autistic, LGBTQIA2S+, and international students
We can all help prevent suicide. Become part of a campus-wide team as an advocate for suicide prevention. We encourage you to complete this asynchronous training to take action in the fight to end suicide. Here is the link to self-enroll in the course.
What are PSU’s guidelines for responding to a student death?
PSU has developed guidance for the campus community in the event of a student death. We are committed to the values of care, compassion and clear communication in supporting the campus community after the death of a student.
- If you are made aware of a student death, immediately contact the Dean of Student Life/Office of Student Affairs and the Associate Registrar, Registrar’s Office
- Office of Student Affairs/CARE and Registrar’s will coordinate the following steps:
- Office of Student Affairs/CARE:
- Determine family/emergency contact information
- Inform President’s Office and coordinate condolences on behalf of PSU
- Provide support resources to the student’s academic program(s), faculty, campus community groups, and student’s living community if a UHRL resident
- Collect or help collect documentation from family, friends, and/or community
- Registrar’s Office
- Update Banner record to show student is deceased
- Review student account and see if refund or write-off is applicable
- Contact Campus Rec, Library, Transportation/Parking, Housing to determine if there are any outstanding rentals, citations, charges or current or other materials related to the student
- Update Financial Aid
- Evaluate if a posthumous degree or certificate of recognition is appropriate
- Office of Student Affairs and Registrar’s Office will be in collaboration with Dean/Department Chair on any additional communications and/or support resources for the impacted department
- Website information: https://www.pdx.edu/dean-student-life/dealing-tragedy
What is PSU CARES?
PSU CARES assists students who are experiencing challenges that impact their personal and academic success. PSU CARES has two CARE Advocates who work Monday through Friday each term to partner with students who might benefit from resource information and referral, assistance with institutional appeal processes or need advocacy for temporary academic adjustments, and other considerations within PSU. As a student, you can self-refer to PSU CARES or may be referred by a member of the faculty or staff for challenges with course engagement, finances, housing, food, familial concerns or mental or physical health concerns. CARE Advocates are not crisis workers but are critical partners for students who are struggling. Check out their website for more information or to file a PSU CARES referral.