Campus Suicide Prevention and Intervention: Putting Best Practice Policy Into Action

This article explores how one large western Canadian university has attempted to implement the comprehensive framework for suicide prevention developed by the Jed Foundation. A multi-faceted strategy was developed, focusing on seven broad intervention areas including student & community education, gatekeeper training, collaborative identification & treatment of depression, specialized training in suicide assessment & treatment, increased access to counselling for at-risk students, & enhanced crisis management policy & procedures. Relevant empirical support for these interventions is reviewed, examples of initiatives in each area are provided, & implications for best practice post-secondary policy are identified. (46 refs.) JA