Student mental-health educators highlight some of UTSA’s wellbeing resources at Kickback at the Union.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 — In observance of National Suicide Prevention Week, UTSA reminds Roadrunners that the university has many resources to provide awareness and prevention of suicide. National Suicide Prevention Week, which begins on September 4 and concludes on September 10, is an annual campaign aimed at educating and informing the public about suicide prevention and the warning signs of suicide.
Recognizing the warning signs of suicide and learning how to approach someone about a suicide-related crisis can make all the difference. During Suicide Prevention Week and throughout the academic year, UTSA Wellbeing Services provides outreach, events and advocacy to reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek and receive well-being support.
Through programs like Campus Connect and Mental Health First Aid, the university provides training and tools for members of the UTSA community to support someone experiencing distress and to get them connected to assistance from a mental health clinician or service.
Campus Connect is a suicide prevention gatekeeper training session that provides attendees with empirically supported methods for detection, prevention, and intervention. A gatekeeper training is an overview of best practices in responding to someone in distress and how to recognize warning of suicide risk similar to bystander education. Campus Connect will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7.
Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized and evidence-based training course to assist those working with others in a mental-health or substance-use crisis. Mental Health First Aid is a more comprehensive training that teaches about recovery and resiliency and provide more in-depth practice. It centers around the belief that individuals experiencing these challenges can and do get better, and can use their strengths to stay well.
Advocacy and peer interactions are pivotal to encourage a campus climate focused on well-being. Student educators promote well-being resources on campus and encourage their peers to access these resources—including signing up for an individual advocacy session with a mental health peer advocate.
UT Health Wellness 360 counseling center provides students with one-on-one individual interventions. After hours, the Crisis Helpline is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week by calling 210-458-4140 option 2. Students can also receive confidential mental health and well-being support from any location by phone, chat and video support any time day or night on the My Student Support Program (MySSP) app.
“We all play an integral role in the fight for suicide prevention,” said Melissa Hernandez, associate dean of students for wellbeing. “It’s important to learn about the warning signs for suicide and how you can effectively connect someone to supportive mental health services,” said Hernandez.
Understanding the community’s role in connecting students to support is important. Students, faculty and staff can access RowdyLink to learn more about the warning signs of suicide and to sign up for future training opportunities offered by Wellbeing Services.
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This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
