Colleges and Universities Say “Not on My Watch!”

Academic institutions band together in support of the national “Not on My Watch” Campaign to prevent deaths by suicide among college students

Suicide Prevention Week will take place from September 8 - 14, 2013 in San Diego County.

The Suicide Prevention Council, convened by Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) and participants in its Higher Education Subcommittee have come together to host a myriad of the education, awareness and prevention activities at area colleges and universities in order to reduce suicide among student populations.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center specifies that there are an estimated 1,100 students affiliated with colleges and universities across the country that die by suicide each year, and participating colleges’ and universities locally like the University of California at San Diego, the University of San Diego, San Diego State University, San Diego City College, Mira Costa College, California State University at San Marcos and Grossmont College want to send this prevention-campaign message to their respective student populations so that they are aware that there are quality resources available to students experiencing mental health problems associated with suicide.

On September 6, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and Health and Human Services Agency Director Nick Macchione will kick-off Suicide Prevention Week at a “Not on My Watch” event at San Diego State University. While a variety of activities will take place over a one-week period, the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council would like to highlight a series of events occurring Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Activities occurring on Tuesday among participating college campuses/universities will range from noon-time table events/leaf-letting activities to special education workshops and/ community health resources fairs. At these activities they will be passing out ‘Not On My Watch’ kits that consist of wristband with the slogan on one side and the Access and Crisis Line on the other and additional resources, these kits were first created and used by Community Research Foundation and this year we are joining them to say ‘Not On My Watch.’ The September 10th events and activities for all six campuses are as follows:

UCSD –Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training in colleges
Sixth from 10:30am-12:00pm
Muir from 3:00pm-4:30pm

University of San Diego- Involvement Fair- Alcala Bazaar in Torero Way (on campus) featuring a Suicide Prevention information table from 11:30am-2:30pm

San Diego State University-Suicide Prevention ‘Not On My Watch’ Suicide Prevention information table from 11:00am-1:30pm

San Diego City College-Suicide Prevention Fair and Depression Screenings from 11:00am-1:00pm

Mira Costa College- Not On My Watch Suicide Prevention Tabling in the Quad during College Hour from 12:00pm-1:15pm

California State University San Marcos-“A Light in the Darkness” Day from 11:00am-1:00pm with a panel from 6:00pm-8:00pm

Grossmont College-Hosting a Wellness table with a focus on Suicide Prevention from 11:00am-1:00pm

Mental health problems that are associated with suicide and other adverse outcomes affect a substantial portion of college students. These problems can negatively affect students’ academic performance and quality of life. To build momentum for prevention efforts, campuses should start examining current research on campus suicide and mental health problems, and the associated consequences.

About the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council:
Beginning in 1999, Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) facilitated the local Suicide Prevention Work Team. The Work Team disbanded in 2009 and in April 2010, CHIP contracted with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency to facilitate a Suicide Prevention Action Plan Committee (SPAPC). The purpose of the SPAPC was to develop a Suicide Prevention Action Plan (SPAP) for San Diego County. After the development of the SPAP in 2011, a Suicide Prevention Council (SPC) was formed to guide the implementation of the SPAP and ongoing efforts for stigma-reduction associated with mental health challenges. CHIP facilitates monthly SPC meetings as well as related sub-committee meetings.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.