Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) has become the first fraternity to partner with national organization the Jed Foundation to promote mental health and suicide prevention at universities across the country — including through the fraternity’s UF chapter.
The partnership, which launched this month, will include training to help fraternity members spot symptoms of potential suicide victims, said John MacPhee, executive director of the Jed Foundation.
The foundation works with college students to promote emotional health and suicide prevention among its nearly 14,000 collegiate members, he said.
“We reached out to SAE some months ago and started a conversation about how we might be able to work together in the interest of promoting a combined initiative,” MacPhee said.
Brandon Weghorst, the associate executive director of communications for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said the initiative’s goal hits close to home.
“Unfortunately, several of our members have taken their lives over the past decade,” Weghorst said. “Our goal is to give our members, advisers and staff the training and resources to understand how mental health issues may affect our membership.”
The first step to suicide prevention, MacPhee said, is to trust and act on your instincts.
It’s a conversation that Linda Lewis, a mental health counselor at UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center, said is worth being proactive about.
Being straightforward with someone will encourage a more open dialogue to address concerns about a friend’s mental health, she said.
“To come out and say ‘Are you thinking of killing yourself?’ sometimes is the appropriate thing to say,” Lewis said. “The person might lie, of course, but at least you’ve opened the door to talk about it.”
The Jed Foundation is discussing the possibility of further partnerships with other fraternities and sororities, but Sigma Alpha Epsilon responded to the organization’s proposal first, MacPhee said.
According to New York’s Office of Mental Health, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, following accidents.
College students are estimated to have a suicide rate of almost eight per 100,000. At this rate, suicide is estimated to take about 1,100 students each year, according to the office.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 9/25/2013 under the headline "Fraternity partnership to educate brothers on suicide prevention"
