About Project STEPS
Bethune-Cookman University is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in Daytona Beach, Florida with 3,500 students. Through obtaining the Garret Lee Smith grant for suicide prevention, the University has developed a network of gatekeepers including faculty, staff and students. The new project is known as Project S.T.E.P.S. (Survival Through Education Prevention and Services). Project S.T.E.P.S. has selected the Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) model to train constituents on how to successfully identify person who might display suicidal behavior. Project S.T.E.P.S. places emphasis on dismissing myths and stigma associated with mental health, depression and suicide within the African American community and other communities of color. Project S.T.E.P.S. targets entering freshmen, veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-Gender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community. The programs and services are facilitated through a system of care emphasizing person-centered, and strengths-based approach to self harm.
Coming March 2013
Bethune-Cookman University Will Sponsor the Following Free Community-wide Conference:
Many Voices, One Vision (Saving A Generation)
This all-day conference will provide various workshops on suicide awareness, prevention, and intervention when working with special populations such as students of color, the LGBT community, and military veterans. We will also address the stigma and myths associated with suicide as well as presenting workshops on depression and other self-harming behaviors. There will be opportunity for attendees to participate in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training throughout the course of the day.
