Gettysburg College supports comprehensive suicide prevention and early intervention programs throughout our campus community. These initiatives are designed to create a culture of awareness and support by educating students, faculty, and staff about suicide risk factors, teaching community members to identify warning signs that indicate someone may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, and equipping individuals with practical skills and strategies for effective intervention.
Prevention Programs:
- Fresh Check Day mental health promotion event for the student body each fall
- September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month social media campaign
- Annual QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) trainings for students, faculty and staff that teach people how to recognize crisis warning signs, intervene and refer suicidal individuals to professional care
- Educational workshops on mental health topics by request
- Monthly community events that reduce stigma and promote help-seeking behaviors among college students
Early Intervention Services: These multi-layered approaches create a supportive campus environment where students feel comfortable seeking help and community members are prepared to respond effectively when someone is in crisis.
- Drop-In Counseling Services are available Monday–Friday, 9 am–4 pm with a licensed clinician, no appointment needed. This service provides immediate assessment and crisis support.
- The CARE Team is a multidisciplinary group of staff from Campus Safety, Counseling & Wellness, Center for Student Success, Office of Student Life, and Campus Recreation who review and respond to concerns about students daily. Community members can submit concerns through the CARE Team's online referral system.
- The Threat Assessment Team is a group of administrators responsible for identifying, assessing, and managing situations involving threats of violence or behaviors that may indicate intent to harm members of the Gettysburg College community.
Communication With the Campus Community
At the beginning of each new semester, all students receive an email from the Dean of Students and the Executive Director of Counseling and Wellness with information about mental health support resources and suicide prevention. All incoming students can request a reach out from Counseling and Wellness Services when completing their onboarding process.
In addition to providing counseling services for students, Counseling and Wellness Services staff provide outreach, education, and suicide prevention training throughout the academic year. Programs are developed to increase awareness and improve suicide prevention skills. Programs are offered campus-wide and are available for staff, faculty, and students.
In the event of a campus emergency, including the death of an individual, Gettysburg College maintains a protocol for communicating with students, faculty, and staff. Counseling and support services will be made available to all students affected by such an event. Our protocol is reviewed and disseminated annually.
Interested in Learning More?
Contact the Counseling and Wellness Department at: counseling@gettysburg.edu for more information on services including trainings, workshops and suicide prevention programs available at Gettysburg College.