Sept. 10, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Northern\nArizona University announced this week that it has completed JED Campus, a\nprogram of The Jed Foundation\n(JED)\u2014a four-year process of policy and program review to prevent suicide and\nensure students have the resources needed to strengthen their mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JED is a nonprofit organization that exists to protect\nemotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults. JED equips people\nwith the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other by partnering\nwith high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance\nmisuse and suicide prevention programs and systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JED Campus is a signature program of JED that guides higher education institutions through a collaborative, four-year process of comprehensive systems, program and policy development with customized support. Having completed JED Campus, NAU will entrust its interdisciplinary, campuswide mental health task force of staff, faculty and students with sustaining the work initiated by the program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeing part of the JED Campus program has allowed us to take a very comprehensive look at mental health on campus,\u201d said Melissa Griffin<\/strong>, director of Health Promotion. \u201cIt has allowed us to engage faculty, students and staff in conversations that may not have been possible without the strategic planning and guidance that JED provided.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through JED Campus, NAU has demonstrated a commitment to\nthe emotional well-being of its students in multiple ways. First, all medical\nvisits to Campus Health Services will include a depression screening, and\nalcohol and drug screenings will be expanded across campus. Gatekeeper suicide\nprevention training will be offered so staff, faculty and students can\nrecognize and refer students in distress to the available resources. Lastly,\nall campus policies that impact students\u2019 mental health will be reviewed for\nimprovement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n NAU will continue to be an integral\npart of the JED Campus Learning Community in sharing resources and recommendations\nwith other institutions and continuing to access JED\u2019s resources and guidance\nthrough webinars and other learning opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt has been our pleasure to work\nwith and assist Northern Arizona University through the JED Campus program,\nwhich is designed to help participating schools assess, strengthen and develop\npolicies, programs and systems to support student mental health,\u201d said John MacPhee,\nexecutive director\/CEO of JED. \u201cWe are looking forward to a continued\nrelationship supporting Northern Arizona University\u2019s sustained efforts to help\nthe well-being of its students into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about JED Campus, visit jedcampus.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know September is Suicide Awareness\nand Prevention Month? Learn about all the resources Campus Health Services\noffers to help students take care of themselves, their friends and roommates at\nnau.edu\/campus-health-services<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"