NSU Cares

NSU CARES

The purpose of NSU Cares is to create a prevention-prepared campus community in which suicide completion becomes a “never event” at Northwestern State University. Aligned with the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2012) and based on best practice recommendations within SAMHSA’s Best Practices Registry, the goals of this project focus on creating a system and safety net for students, in addition to a culture of caring, wellness, and hope.

NSU Cares has four main goals:

1. Increase the unity of mental health services with other departments/agencies within the university setting and within the community in order to promote the message that suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility;
2. To provide gatekeeper training to the campus community in order to recognize, approach, and refer students who are in distress;
3. To provide online training, outreach and support to both online and face-to-face students, faculty/staff, and families of students through educational seminars designed to educate participants on suicide, as well as other mental/behavioral health issues, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking; and
4. Increase help-seeking behavior among students by creating a culture of caring, wellness, and hope.