Endicott College

Endicott Beacons: Empowering Mental Health Awareness and Resilience - Endicott College, a Private, Four-year Institution Located on the North Shore of Massachusetts, Proposes the Endicott Beacons: Empowering Mental Health Awareness and Resilience Project to Prevent Suicides and Suicide Attempts Among Its Student Body of Approximately 3,100 Undergraduates. the Proposed Endicott Beacons: Empowering Mental Health Awareness and Resilience Project Represents a Comprehensive, Campus-wide Strategy for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention. the Approach Is Aligned With the Suicide Prevention Resource Center's Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention. This Project Will Ultimately Reduce Attempted and Completed Suicides Across Campus by Increasing Protective Factors, and Identifying and Timely Intervening With At-risk Students. Project Goals and Objectives Include the Following. Goal 1: Establish a Centralized, Collaborative Team to Assess and Implement a Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Plan. Objective 1.A. by 12/31/24, Establish and Maintain a Wellness Committee. Objective 1.B. by 3/31/25, Create and Maintain a Student Mental Wellness Education and Awareness Plan. Goal 2: Normalize Mental Wellness and Instill Wellness Practices and Other Protective Factors Including Self-care, Mindfulness, and Mental Health Help-seeking Behaviors. Objective 2.A. Facilitate at Least Two Campus-wide Mental Wellness Awareness and Education Events (fresh Check Day, Wellness Fair) and at Least Two Sexual Trauma-related Events (e.g. Denim Day and Take Back the Night) Each Year. Objective 2.B. Establish and Maintain a New Speaker Series With at Least Two Events Per Year Over the Three-year Grant Period. Objective 2.C. by 12/31/24, Establish a Wellness Peer Mentor (WPM) Program in Residence Halls, Recruit and Train Eight Undergraduate Peer Mentors, Expand the Cadre of Peer Mentors to Ten by 12/31/25, and Expand the Cadre of Peer Mentors to 12 by 12/31/26. Objective 2.D. Promote Mental Wellness Through Four Print and Social Media Campaigns Per Year and Other Activities to Be Developed by the Wellness Committee. Goal 3: Establish Policies and Technology-enabled Protocols to Screen All Students for Mental Health and Substance Use Risk Factors and Ensure Timely Access to Evidence-based Care for Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention. Objective 3.A. by 12/31/24, Establish Policies to Ensure That Students Complete Technology-enhanced Screening Processes. Objective 3.B. by 12/31/24, Implement the “echeckup to Go” Screening Tool for All Students Referred to And/or Who Self-refer to the Wellness Center to Identify Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Concerns; and by 8/1/25 Require Echeckup to Go Screening for All Students on an Annual Basis. Objective 3.C. by 12/31/24, Implement the “brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention of College Students (basics)” Screening Tool for All Students Referred to And/or Who Self-referred to the Wellness Center for Substance Use Issues. Hallmarks of the Project Are a New Peer Mentor Program and Technology-enhanced Screening and Assessment Solutions. Estimated Number of People to Be Served as a Result of the Award of This Grant: 4,740 Unduplicated Individuals. This Is Based on the Anticipated Number of Undergraduate Students Per Year (approximately 3,100), as Several Project Components (including Education and Awareness Activities) Will Serve the Entire Student Body.