College joins JED Campus network to support student mental health
QUEENSBURY, New York (Feb. 21, 2022) — SUNY Adirondack is proud to announce it joined JED Campus to increase support of student well-being and mental health. The program is a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation to help schools strengthen mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure they offer the strongest possible mental health safety nets.
By joining JED Campus, SUNY Adirondack demonstrates a commitment to the emotional well-being of its students. JED campuses embark on a multi-year strategic collaboration to assess and enhance work already being done and helps create positive, lasting, systemic change. The program provides colleges a framework to support student mental health, as well as assessment tools, feedback reports, a strategic plan and ongoing support.
“SUNY Adirondack is excited to add this collaboration with JED to all the great support already offered across campus,” said Kate O’Sick, dean for Student Affairs at the college. “We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has exasperated mental health issues for people of all ages, but especially for young people. We want to do everything possible to help our students be healthy, physically and emotionally.”
SUNY Adirondack offers a Counseling Center with regular drop-in counseling sessions and scheduled appointments; weekly on-campus meditation experiences; and support groups. The campus is in the process of developing indoor and outdoor mental health spaces, providing students safe, soothing places for reflection, meditation or private conversation.
The college also recently provided to all faculty, staff and student leaders Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education Training and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training through SUNY. SUNY Adirondack also joined the SUNY Student TeleCounseling Network, which provides free psychiatric services to students.
“The college years are the age when many mental health issues first manifest, and it can be a time of significant stress and pressure,” said John MacPhee, chief executive officer of JED. “JED Campus helps schools by working with them to survey everything their college or university is doing to support their students’ emotional health and find practical ways to augment these efforts. We believe that the implementation of a campus-wide approach to mental health will lead to safer, healthier communities, and likely greater student retention.”
SUNY Adirondack’s membership in JED Campus begins with establishing an interdisciplinary, campus-wide team to assess, support and implement improvements, and completing a confidential, self-assessment survey on its mental health promotion, substance use and suicide prevention efforts.
After the assessment, JED experts provide comprehensive feedback identifying successes and opportunities for improvement. Over the course of four years, SUNY Adirondack will collaborate with JED to implement change.
For more information about JED Campus, visit https://jedfoundation.org/our-work/higher-ed/
About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. JED partners with high schools and colleges to strengthen mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. The organization equips teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. JED encourages community awareness, understanding and action for young adult mental health. Learn more at jedfoundation.org.
About SUNY Adirondack
SUNY Adirondack is a community college with a growing campus that is part of the nation’s largest university, the State University of New York. With locations in Queensbury, Glens Falls and Wilton, SUNY Adirondack offers courses in person and online; on-campus housing at the Queensbury campus; and serves students via credit and continuing education programs.
