For the last two years, Wayne State University has received federal funding through the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant to support the WSU Suicide Prevention program.

As WSU enters its final year of funding, the campus community is invited to participate in a brief, anonymous survey to gauge the program’s impact. The survey, which takes about 10 minutes, includes questions about awareness of initiative activities, knowledge of campus and local resources, and attitudes about mental health services. Participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of four $50 Target gift cards.

To learn more about the survey or participate, view the questionnaire. The survey will be available through the end of April.

Participants should note that while the survey asks for a Wayne State email address, this information will be removed from your responses and only anonymous group information will be shared. The use of the Wayne State email address helps ensure that the survey is limited to members of the WSU community.

Suicide is a major public health concern and is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, with over 40,000 people dying by suicide annually. Among teens and young adults in the United States, suicide is the second leading cause of death; nationally, 1,100 college students die by suicide annually.

“During the pandemic, people are struggling to stay connected due to the challenges of social distancing,” said Jeff Kuentzel, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). “People will be experiencing grief associated with loss of activities that are sustaining for them, loss of jobs and income, and most sadly, loss of loved ones due to the illness. We also know that suicide rates tend to increase during periods of high employment. Now more than ever, we need to look out for each other so we can get through this.”

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Neva Nahan at n.nahan@wayne.edu.