How to Develop a Youth Suicide Prevention Center

Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS
Kristen Volz-Spessard, MS

Suicide has become the second leading cause of death among children greater than 10 years of age, and continues to remain a leading cause of death throughout most of our lifetime. Suicide rates in youth have only continued to climb over the last decade, therefore prevention measures are crucial. To address this epidemic, Connecticut Children’s recently established a comprehensive Youth Suicide Prevention Center to reduce the occurrence of youth suicide deaths and those youth suffering with suicidal thoughts through identification, education/training, research, and advocacy. Aiming to implement validated and evidence-based programs to create safer and healthier communities. Suicide is preventable, and implementation of suicide prevention efforts including universal screening may save lives of youth in crisis.

During this workshop we will provide you with the basic knowledge and background you need to understand suicide specifically in your state or region. We will review and highlight reliable suicide prevention resources including the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, CDC, NIMH/NIH and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Additionally, discuss suicide screening measures which can be implemented within your community.

You will learn how to build an evidence-based foundation for suicide prevention. There are many interventions and proven prevention strategies that can be easily adopted by you, your injury prevention center and your institution including the following, which we will highlight during this workshop:

Outline:
1. Youth Risk Behavior Survey and WISQARS
2. Suicide Screening Workflows – Emergency Department and Inpatient
   a. Ask Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ)
   b. Columbia- Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
3. Lethal Means Restriction Counseling
4. Zero Suicide Programs
5. Staff education opportunities
   a. Annual suicide prevention trainings
   b. Question Persuade Refer Training (QPR)
6. Funding Opportunities

1. Appreciate the growing epidemic of youth suicide and need for prevention programs
2. Identify reliable sources of information about suicide and prevention programs
3. Develop a familiarity with some of the basic prevention strategies and explore how they can be implemented
4. Recognize potential funding sources for your suicide prevention work

Addressing College Mental Health with the Fresh Check Day Program

Leah Nelson, RCP
Nick Marinelli, MPA
Isabella Baldino
Kevin Borrup, DrPH, JD, MPA
Kristen Volz-Spessard, MS
Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens and college-aged young adults and 12.2% of people aged 18-25 experiencing serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. This data highlights the urgent need for prevention efforts tailored to this high-risk population. Fresh Check Day (FCD), designated in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Best Practices Registry, is a peer-driven mental health promotion and suicide prevention program developed by the Jordan Porco Foundation to support student mental health needs on college campuses. The program aims to reduce stigma, increase awareness of available mental health resources, and encourage help-seeking behavior through interactive booths, campus-wide collaboration, and student engagement. The rate of 18–25-year-olds experiencing mental, behavioral, or emotional health issues has been increasing significantly over the past several years so hospital- and campus-based programs play a critical role in promoting mental health and connecting individuals with resources.

Following the FCD programs, anonymous post-event participant surveys were administered to assess student perceptions, knowledge gains, and changes in attitudes toward mental health. Scaled, and open-ended items were included, focusing on key metrics such as preparedness to support peers, awareness of mental health resources, and comfort discussing mental health. Survey responses and demographic information were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Tableau to visualize trends and examine the program’s utilization across diverse student populations. Qualitative feedback was thematically analyzed to understand the personal impact of the program, identify common themes, and highlight areas for improvement.

From January 2014 to May 2025, 1,517 FCDs took place at colleges in 46 states; Over 300,000 students participated in FCD programs and 119,803 (40%) students completed the post-event surveys. 83.7% reported feeling more prepared to help a friend exhibiting warning signs of suicide; 87.4% were more aware of mental health resources available to them; 83.7% were more likely to ask for help if experiencing emotional distress themselves; 82% felt more comfortable talking about mental health and suicide. Data collected from community colleges showed equal or greater impact across all effectiveness indicators when compared to all FCD campuses. Hispanic/Latinx, Black/African American, and Asian/Asian American respondents averaged equal to or greater than White/Caucasian respondents across all effectiveness indicators.

Data collected over the past decade supports FCD’s quality, efficacy, and vital importance to college communities across the country and justifies further expansion of the program. Results indicate a significant increase in student awareness of mental health resources and services available on campus and in the broader community, enhanced student capacity to recognize and respond to mental health crises among peers, and increased willingness among students to seek out mental health support for themselves. These impacts may prevent young adult suicide deaths.

1)Understand the importance of effective primary suicide prevention programs for college-aged young adults.
2) Describe Fresh Check Day participants’ reported perceptions, knowledge gains, and changes in attitudes toward mental health.
3) Illustrate comparisons across campus demographics and student identities.

Question, Persuade, and Refer Gatekeeper Training

Steven C. Rogers, MD, MS
Kristen Volz-Spessard, MS

Surveys show that most healthcare professionals, including mental health professionals, do not receive specific or adequate training in how to help those at risk of suicide. Unless you are a psychiatrist, the odds are you did not receive adequate and specific suicide intervention or treatment as part of your professional academic experience. Your patients assume that you are competent to help them or their loved ones survive a suicide crisis.

QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer – the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis and can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught Gatekeeper training in the world. A gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide. Gatekeepers can be anyone, but include parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses, office supervisors, squad leaders, foremen, police officers, advisors, caseworkers, firefighters, and many others who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide.

Each participant receives a booklet that contains all the material covered in the class, as well as referral numbers/information. A certificate of completion is provided to all participants after the class. Participants also receive addition items such as stress balls, pens/pencils, and other suicide prevention items for attending.

NOTE: This training will be provided at no cost to the participants. Cost of materials will be covered by grant funding. Total number of trainings to be determined. Please contact Steven Rogers to discuss further (860)560-3640.

Outline:

• PowerPoint presentation
  • Suicide Myths and Facts
  • Clues and Warning signs
  • How to Ask the Question
  • How to Persuade someone to get help
  • Where to Refer
• Videos
• Web-based role play exercises
• Questions

1. Recognize the common causes of suicidal behavior
2. Recognize the warning signs of suicide
3. Identify local and national resources to help themselves or someone in crisis
4. Recognize opportunities to bring suicide prevention training to clinical and non-clinical team members within your institution