Suicide Postvention: A Critical Guide for University Housing Managers

Title: Responding to a Suicide: Postvention Guidance for Student Housing Managers

Source: Jed Foundation

Authors: Kurt D. Michael

The Jed Foundation recently released a new emergency preparedness guidebook, offering crucial best practices for off-campus student housing managers dealing with postvention—the actions taken after the sudden and tragic loss of a community resident.

While precise statistics on college student suicides are elusive, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an average suicide rate of 15.2 per 100,000 for 15- to 24-year-olds in 2021, a demographic that includes most undergraduates. For a university with 20,000 students, this could mean around three suicide deaths annually. Given these statistics, the implementation of comprehensive postvention policies is vital.

Key postvention guidance from the report includes the following actions:

• Engage with law enforcement: Law enforcement will confirm the identity of the deceased and notify the next of kin. They will also investigate the cause of death.
• Communicate with campus officials and the residential community: When communicating with campus officials and the residential community, prioritize sensitive and protective communication, focusing on offering hope and support while avoiding details about the event and personal information about the deceased. Clearly inform the community about available suicide-focused treatment and direct support services.
• Handle media concerns: Do not provide comments and adhere strictly to your organization’s media response protocols.
• Facilitate rapid support: Extend sincere condolences and provide a listening ear to the family, roommates, and close friends of the deceased. Share critical information with a select group of staff in a sensitive and streamlined manner.
• Memorialize the deceased: Manage spontaneous memorials, whether on-site or campus-based, ensuring they are time-limited, monitored, and respectfully honoring the deceased as part of the normal grieving process.
• Plan for long-term and future approaches to prevention and postvention: Create a supportive environment by setting up strong postvention systems and structures. All student housing managers should receive mandatory training when hired and annual refreshers. It’s also crucial to engage the whole community in boosting awareness of suicide prevention, promoting mental wellness, and encouraging help-seeking behaviors.

Click here to read the full report.

—Nguyen DH Nguyen