Introduction
The resources here are designed to help administration, faculty, staff, and clinicians from the postsecondary institutions of Washington state increase the effectiveness of their work to support students’ behavioral health needs and to prevent suicide.
Washington’s colleges and universities are fortunate to have an impressive depth of expertise in this topic. However, it’s impossible to spread expertise evenly across all institutions. Additionally, every institution brings on new, young employees who are hungry for continuing education. This is a resource collection in which we hope every institution will find food for thought and action.
We offer this material with a sense of urgency. No student should ever again die by their own hand. At the same time, we offer these resources with a sense of collegiality. Many individuals have contributed to this work: legislators, higher education advocates, counselors and counseling directors, health and wellness professionals, student life leaders, student veterans support staff, parents who are suicide loss survivors, and students who bring their own experience with suicide to the fore.
The resources here speak to the specific requirements of Senate Bill 6514, passed in the 2018 Washington state legislative session. Materials will continue to be added.
We invite you to contact Ambyr Travis, with questions, comments, suggestions and resources that you wish to share for the benefit of all Washington students.