Camden County College will Assess and Enhance Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicide Prevention Efforts in Partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED).
(Blackwood, NJ) – Camden County College announced that it has joined the JED Campus Fundamentals program to support student well-being and mental health. The program is a nationwide initiative of The Jed Foundation (JED) designed to help schools evaluate and strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems to ensure that schools have the strongest possible mental health safety nets.
By joining JED Campus Fundamentals, Camden County College demonstrates a commitment to the emotional well-being of its students. JED Campuses embark on a collaborative strategic planning process that not only assesses and enhances the work that is already being done but also helps create positive, lasting, systemic change in the campus community. The program provides schools with a framework for supporting student mental health, as well as assessment tools, feedback reports, a strategic plan, and support from the JED Higher Education team.
“Mental health and wellness services at CCC are part of the institution’s plan to acknowledge and support the whole student and all students towards the successful completion of their academic goals,” says Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett, President of Camden County College. “Partnering with the JED Campus Program will allow us to develop data-informed strategic initiatives based on proven best-practices to continue building a comprehensive system of mental health support for our students.”
Institutions of higher education have been feeling the impact of the mental health crisis.
“The college years are the age when many mental health issues first manifest, and it can be a time of significant stress and pressure,” said John MacPhee, Chief Executive Officer of JED. “JED Campus helps schools by working with them to evaluate what their college or university is doing to support student emotional health and well-being and find practical ways to augment these efforts in a comprehensive way. We believe that the implementation of a campus-wide approach to mental health will lead to safer, healthier communities, and likely greater student retention.”
Camden County College’s membership in JED Campus Fundamentals begins with establishing an interdisciplinary, campus-wide team to assess, support and implement program, policy, and system improvements and completing a confidential, self-assessment survey on its mental health promotion, substance use, and suicide prevention efforts. Upon completion of the assessment, JED subject matter experts provide schools with a comprehensive feedback report identifying successes and opportunities for enhancements. Over the course of 18 months, Camden County College will collaborate with JED to help implement enhancements. All self-assessment responses and feedback reports are confidential.
For more information about the JED Campus Fundamentals program, visit https://jedfoundation.org/our-work/higher-ed/
###
About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
