Strengthening Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Support

The 2024 Missouri Assessment of College Health Behaviors survey found that 25% of college students reported suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months. In response, the St. Louis Community College (STLCC) Counseling Director applied to the 2025 Missouri Suicide Prevention Coalition Academy and team members completed trainings. Following this training, the STLCC Missouri Suicide Prevention Coalition was established, with initial strategic priorities to provide targeted outreach for high-risk populations, expand access to culturally competent mental health services, deliver campuswide education and awareness campaigns, and increase training for faculty and staff to identify warning signs and respond appropriately. The coalition provided psychoeducation, distributed crisis protocol flowcharts, hosted its first Mental Health and Wellness Fair, displayed a crisis resource on yard signs, and conducted weekly meetings to assess high-risk students. These efforts resulted in a 300% increase in completion of a free online Ask Listen Refer suicide prevention training and an increase in STLCC students seeking campus counseling services.

Innovators

• Holly Basom, Counselor
• Therese Jacques, District Director, Counseling
• Mona Jaswal, Counselor
• Desirae Martinez, Counselor
• Mayuko McGuire, Coordinator, Student Advocacy & Resource Center