Tech Ends Suicide Together represents the collaborative efforts of a number of campus colleagues and stakeholders who are designated as campus caregivers, or ambassadors. Our ambassadors are committed to providing continued programs and services that are aimed to reduce the risk factors that contribute to suicide and to promote the protective factors that guard against suicide. These programs and services exist along a continuum of care and prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
Primary Prevention
Here we include programs and services that are offered to prevent a suicide attempt. Primary prevention is focused on reducing the risk factors and promoting the protective factors associated with ending suicide. Examples might include suicide prevention education (e.g., QPR “Question, Persuade, Refer” Gatekeeper Training), Office of Housing and Residence Life checking security of windows in its high-rise residences, and informational campus messaging or activities about suicide prevention (e.g., “Kick the Stigma” sponsored by Kappa Sigma).
Secondary Prevention
These are programs and services that are offered after an attempted or completed suicide has occurred. Secondary prevention is aimed at addressing the short-term impact and effects of suicide. Examples might include crisis counseling provided to students, staff, and/or faculty in the aftermath of a suicide, or a crisis debriefing to campus student groups impacted by suicide.
Tertiary Prevention
These are programs and services are long-term responses and plans to address the after-effects and consequences of suicide. Examples include identifying and offering resources to provide on-going services for survivors of suicide (e.g., survivors support group), and enhanced coordination of services and resources (e.g., developing systemic information gathering to learn more about suicide occurrences).