With National Suicide Prevention Day shining a spotlight on mental health on a nationwide scale Monday, Central Connecticut brought it to the forefront to the CCSU community during Student Wellness Services Presents Suicide Prevention Week.

“It’s about creating more awareness about resources, trying to reduce stigma and having students look out for one another and be engaged bystanders,” Kate Ayotte, Wellness Programs Administrator for Suicide Prevention in CCSU’s Office of Wellness, said. 

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Recent high-profile cases like Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade placed greater attention on understanding suicide, and college campuses, including CCSU, are moving toward better addressing the needs of students with suicidal ideations and mental health concerns.

Student Wellness Services Presents Suicide Prevention Week is in its second year. Ayotte established it after the university received a grant for suicide prevention that allowed her hiring. Before the grant and Ayotte’s arrival, neither the event nor Ayotte’s position existed.

“With the funding from the grant, we’re able to do all of the different activities throughout the week,” she explained. 

The first three days featured different tabling events in the Student Center lobby. Last year’s hits like “Checkpoint Chocolate,” which drew students with Hershey Kisses, made an appearance again, as did the bake sale, where students answered questions on suicide prevention to receive a free baked good.

New campaigns like “You Matter” also emerged, allowing students to take the time to “recognize someone who matters to them, but also recognize that their own life matters,” according to Ayotte.

“We’re trying to get students to uplift other students by showing them that they matter to them. We have little handouts that you can give to someone who matters to you and spread positivity,” she elaborated.

On Thursday, the tabling will be substituted by a screening of Disney’s “Inside Out.” Friday will host a campus-wide Question, Persuade, Refer training that will teach the community how to talk to and help someone in crisis.

Dr. Jonathon Pohl, CCSU’s Wellness Education Coordinator, said that there are a lot of ways that students can get involved and help those who are dealing with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts such as the QPR training, as well as counseling services.

“Another way that you can help is simply checking in with each other, which is always a great way of getting involved,” Pohl stated.

For alumna Gabriella Bierwirth, having a physical table in the Student Center was important, as she said interpersonal communication could be more beneficial than social media.

“It is important to talk to someone face-to-face, and tell them that they matter,” Bierwirth said.

Freshman Diana Couture said that she was aware that today was Suicide Prevention day before coming to campus.

“I went to East Windsor High School and they informed us every year on the importance of suicide prevention and what you can do [to help],” Couture commented.

September is Suicide Prevention Month, but events raising awareness roll into October as well. On Oct. 16, Hakeem Rahim will be giving a talk on mental health in the Torp Theater.

Oct. 18 is Fresh Check Day and a fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Alumni Hall. There will be free food and activities with a focus on mental health.

CCSU sophomore Moise Moket is volunteering with the Student Wellness Center through his social work major. After seeing the Office of Wellness Education’s presentation of the documentary “The Ripple Effect,” which follows Kevin Hines, a suicide attempt survivor who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, Moket wanted to get involved with helping raise awareness for suicide prevention.

“It showed me how important discussing mental health really is,” Motek said.

Ayotte hopes that events like Student Wellness Services presents Suicide Prevention Week will not only bring awareness to suicide prevention and mental health in general but will also get more student groups and other on-campus organizations to become involved.

“I would always love to do more. Programs are very impactful when I’m partnering with a student organization that is already well-known and has a lot of people coming to their programs. If anyone wants to collaborate or partner, I would love that,” Ayotte said.