September is Suicide Prevention Month, which paves the way to shine a spotlight on issues surrounding mental health and the value of supporting those in crisis. The Student Committee of Planning and Events (SCOPE) brightened that light this past Wednesday, Sept. 13 in the Alumni Lounge by hosting a Suicide Prevention Fair.
The event was put together by Nox Garner, a sophomore forensic science major and member of SCOPE’s Charger Engagement team. Garner said that mental health and suicide are topics that affect people every day, including members of the University of New Haven community.
“I think one of the main things I’d like students to take away from this is it’s okay to ask for help when you need it,” said Garner. “And that it’s okay to struggle.”
Garner emphasized that the New Haven campus alone has multiple resources and organizations around to help students struggling with mental health. These resources were also at the fair to advertise themselves while also furthering their support.
One of those resources was the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), which had a bucket of markers and wooden clothing clips to write positive messages on. Students could take those messages with them or put them on the bucket, which had many written clips attached.
Another table with an interactive element was Happy UNewHaven, a student organization dedicated to breaking stigmas surrounding mental health, sexual violence and suicide, which had sticky notes and markers that students could use to write encouragements with then post on a large poster board. They also had an information sheet with self-soothing techniques, along with notes on when they meet which are every Thursday at 8 p.m. in Westside Hall room 111.
Active Minds was another student organization in attendance that spoke about supporting students’ mental wellness. Jared Duchesne, a senior forensic science major and executive assistant for Active Minds, talked more about how more awareness should be brought to mental health. Duchesne said that people should be “a little bit more educated” about this topic so they could have “a little bit more empathy for other people.” Active Minds meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Kaplan 105.
All these organizations can be found on Charger Connection, along with a schedule of SCOPE’s upcoming events.