Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
OGDEN — A $300,000 federal grant will help support suicide prevention efforts at Weber State University starting in the 2019 school year. A large part of the funding will go toward training students as peer advocates, who will help look out for and support others who might need help.
“No one is going to better understand that than a fellow peer,” said Amy Blunck, coordinator of Mental Health Initiatives. “I think a lot of students who are attracted to this class, probably already identify as helpers.”
Students will be able to get the training by signing up for a class and could ultimately help run support groups for other students. A recent graduate of Weber State, Corbin Standley was pleased to hear of the coming changes.
“I think it’s long overdue at most colleges and universities,” Standley said. “If more people are trained and recognize the warning signs, we can intervene in a safe and effective way that’s helpful for those who are struggling.”
Standley’s older brother, David, took his own life in 2010. He was 21 years old at the time.
“We were used to seeing him on and off of medications and in and out of treatment for much of his life,” Standley said. “Some of those warning signs we didn’t recognize, and we can’t always know when someone might be struggling.”
While at WSU, Corbin brought a suicide prevention Out Of The Darkness walk to the school.
“I started that in 2015 at Weber State to kind of create a culture on campus that was more open to talking about mental health issues and suicide,” Standley said.
He’s hopeful the upcoming initiatives will help even more. He believes it’s the kind of help his brother could have used.
“If more people are trained and recognize the warning signs, we can intervene in a safe and effective way that’s helpful for those who are struggling,” Standley said.
Now a Ph.D. student at Michigan State University, Standley is making suicide prevention his focus, and his life work.
“When I lost my brother to suicide, that kind of further pushed my interest in psychology,” Standley said. “Knowing what I know now, I can see in retrospect some of those warning signs that I wish I’d known.”
Crisis Hotlines
- Utah County Crisis Line: 801-691-5433
- Salt Lake County/UNI Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
- Wasatch Mental Health Crisis Line: 801-373-7393
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online resources
- NAMI Utah: namiut.org
- Utah Chapter-American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsputah.com
- Suicide Prevention Lifeline: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Warning signs of suicide
- Talking about wanting to die
- Looking for a way to kill oneself
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious, agitated or recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or feeling isolated
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Displaying extreme mood swings
The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.
Information from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.What to do if you see warning signs of suicide
- Do not leave the person alone
- Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt
- Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
- Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional
