Students dealing with depression or self-destructive behavior may now be able to find even greater assistance at UB through several new outreach programs.
The Division of Student Affairs was recently awarded a three-year, $193,793 grant by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which will be used to fund a program preventing suicide and harmful behavior.
The project, called UB WELL (Wellness Enhanced Living and Learning), will be developed through the collaboration of UB Counseling Services and Wellness Education Services.
"We felt that it would be important to put a suicide prevention, harm reduction program in effect on campus," said Sharon Mitchell, director of Counseling Services.
According to Mitchell, UB WELL will aspire to provide a self-sustained environment of connectedness between members of the university community in order to reduce the risk of suicide.
"What we realized is that we need to take a step back and intervene before people get to the point where they try to hurt themselves," she said. "We felt the best way to do that is to involve the whole campus community in being 'gatekeepers,'"
As a part of the program, "gatekeepers" will be trained individuals who identify whether or not someone may need support. They would inform those in need of support of the programs available.
UB WELL's gatekeepers will include staff at UB Counseling Services as well as students, parents and faculty. The first phase of the grant will focus on training of Wellness staff, followed by faculty, student leaders such as resident advisors, and eventually all students on campus.
"People like academic advisors are the first to hear about the problems students are having, because those same problems (often) relate to academics," Mitchell said.
Mitchell also hopes to work with the International Students and Scholars Office.
"Fortunately, we have had very few suicides in the past five years," Mitchell said, explaining that a higher suicide rate occurred among International students at UB.
"There are some cultural differences even as far as whether suicide is an acceptable way to respond to problems," she said.
UB WELL will also maintain Inside-Out, a series of interactive, psycho-educational awareness programs such as poetry, music, art, theater and student dialogue.
"I think that the future UB WELL programs sound like a really good idea," said Celeste Tesoriero, a sophomore English major. "The Inside-Out program, for example, seems like good outlet for those who might be suffering from any form of distress."
Hei Ching Chan, a freshman pharmacy major, said that she has faced numerous academic and personal difficulties in her transition to college freshman.
"I think that the program could benefit not only those who are fostering suicidal thoughts, but also those who are under a lot of pressure," Chan said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
