SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

Event Date:
September 6, 2021 (All day) to September 10, 2021 (All day)

Sept. 10 has been recognized as world suicide prevention day since 2003, with the intention of bringing awareness to suicide and mental health. During the week of Sept. 6-10, initiatives around mental health promotion and suicide prevention will be highlighted. These initiatives are grounded in a holistic approach to mental health and strive to enrich the community of care that is an intrinsic piece of our institutional identity.

Many times individuals do not take action because they are unsure of the warning signs or cues they are observing; and oftentimes, they are unsure what to do. There are many possible warning signs for distress and suicide, such as:

1. Acting anxious,
2. Engaging in high-risk behaviors,
3. Changes in personal hygiene,
4. Feeling hopeless,
5. And isolation.

The critical factor in identifying persons at risk is being aware of their usual behavior and assessing their behavior when they are demonstrating behavior that is “off” their usual.

If you are interested in learning more about warning signs, cues and how to respond to a student who is struggling, we encourage you to participate in the faculty and staff Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 10-11:30 a.m. To register, login to the learning and development portal and search “QPR”.

We, as an institution, are committed to building each individual’s capacity to be an active member of our community of care which builds confidence in an individual’s ability to balance their responsibilities and challenges them to grow in ways that allow students to thrive at the University and beyond.

For more information about Suicide Prevention Week initiatives, including a full schedule of events, visit our Cultivating a Community of Care page or contact Sarah Besse at sdewitt4@uncc.edu.