The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is partnering with the Jed Foundation to to assess and enhance student mental health and suicide and substance abuse prevention efforts.

The program is designed to identify opportunities to enhance emotional health and substance abuse and suicide prevention efforts on campus in order to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets.

“I’m thrilled to support Nebraska’s strategic involvement in the JED Campus program,” said Connie Boehm, director of student resilience. “We join over 200 campuses across the country in creating more intentional efforts around mental health, substance abuse and suicide prevention.”

The multi-year initiative is a strategic collaboration not only to assesses and enhance the work that is already being done, but to help create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. The JED Campus program provides a framework for supporting student mental health, as well as assessment tools, feedback reports and ongoing technical assistance from the JED Campus team of clinicians.

As part of the program, a random sample of 4,000 Nebraska students will receive the Healthy Minds Survey. The survey will help university leadership understand current health service utilization and help-seeking behavior, including factors such as stigma, knowledge, and the role of peers and other potential gatekeepers.

Upon completion of the assessment, JED Campus clinicians will provide a comprehensive feedback report identifying successes and opportunities for enhancements. Over the course of four years, Nebraska will collaborate with the JED Campus team to help implement enhancements. All self-assessment responses and feedback reports are confidential.