Annual Report 2022 Content

Prevention and Outreach Services

Marci Young, Psy.D., Director of Prevention Services


FY 22 Summary

Prevention is Intervention for the community

Prevention areas include promoting wellness, alcohol/substance abuse, sexual assault and interpersonal violence, and suicide prevention. Our efforts increase students’ resources and healthy/helpful behaviors, reduce high-risk alcohol and other drug-related behavior, change attitudes and behaviors that contribute to sexual assault, and improve awareness and education regarding mental health in the WSU community.

Area of Focus: 1 Prevention Services

  • Presented at two conferences (Rise and Thrive and SOCPA) regarding our prevention efforts.
  • Provided support to the WSU community through engagement in committees (e.g. Clery, Title IX, HRL committees) and consultation on campaigns and projects.
  • Served on the planning committee for the annual Kansas Prevention Conference which had attendees from various organizations across Kansas.
  • Wrote article manuscript regarding the efficacy of our Preventing Suicide training, and it is currently under review for publication
  • Created two faulty fellows positions (Suzanne Hawley, Public Health; Huabo Lu, Engineering) that allow for improved prevention programming and connection across campus.
  • Completed CAS review process

Area of Focus 2: #WSUWeSupportU Suspenders4Hope Program

(These are efforts that are only for WSU students, faculty, and staff)

  • Prevention Services engaged in 400.5 hours of prevention and outreach and had 14,078 contacts with students, parents, staff/faculty, and community members. This averages out to provide services to approximately 35 individuals per hour.
  • 153 presentations were completed totaling 178 hours and 9,411 contacts (avg, of services to 53 individuals per hour).
  • 99 presentations that were provided by CAPS were requested by campus partners.
  • Provided 51 informational tables totaling approximately 109 hours and had 2535 contacts (provided information to an average of 50 individuals per table).
  • Continued to have a significant amount of our outreach engagement on virtual platforms including live streams, social media, and Zoom presentations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to increase resources for remote students.
  • #WeSupportU suspender gear item sales totaled $2,700 over the FY. These sales have allowed us to continue the incentive of a free #WSUWeSupportU shirt to any students, faculty, or staff who complete the Preventing Suicide training as a self-sustaining program for the coming year.
  • Delivering hopeful content and informative campaigns on social media, WSU TV, Shocker Blast, WSU Today, WSU Alumni Newsletter, and other publications to build awareness of available resources among students, staff, faculty, and the community.
  • Adapted Wellness in the Classroom cards include a set for individual students to complete independently.
  • Engaged in a partnership with the College of Engineering to train and provide resources to faculty to support student mental health, and train the college faculty in the Preventing Suicide training.
  • Partnered with SGA and other Student Affairs departments to engage in Wellness Weeks for the campus community.
  • Investigated other Learning Management Systems for online training delivery
  • Revised the flow of the Suicide Prevention Training and its evaluation of the current LMS to increase ease of use.
  • Updated Wellness Card Evaluation

Area of Focus 3: Suspenders4Hope #WeSupportU Prevention Program

  • Elevating the conversation around Suspenders4Hope and making strides toward becoming the nationally recognized symbol for supportive mental health communities.
  • Growing Suspenders4Hope campaign awareness with multiple promotional and marketing initiatives through large-scale events with community partners including Ascension Via Christi, Wichita Festivals, Stop Suicide ICT, The Phoenix Gym, Sedgwick County, Valley Hope and the Greater Wichita YMCA.
  • Signed licenses for the #WeSupportU Suspenders4Hope Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Program with Thrive Restaurant Group and presented at the company’s annual meeting. Ongoing licensing discussions are underway with TGC Development, Vornado, Intrust Bank, Intelligent Demand, and others.
  • Working with WSU’s Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization to produce a video about Suspenders4Hope and how it can contribute to workplace wellness initiatives.
  • Updated staff signatures among all CAPS staff to include links to mental health screens, Suspeners4Hope Preventing Suicide Training and other mental health resources.
  • Translated Wellness in the Classroom cards to create a Spanish version of the exercises
  • We participate in the Sedgwick County County Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) goals. The Suspenders4Hope Preventing Suicide training had 10x more individuals trained than any other program that the county tracks for the past 2 years.
  • Launched roll-out package for Suspenders4Hope partners to increase effective implementation of the program.

Area of Focus 4: Prevention Services Advisory Board (PSAB)

  • Restructured PSAB meetings to allow for more frequent sub-committee meetings to allow for more consistent efforts.
  • Administered the NCHA in Spring 2022. A total of 1,455 students respond.
  • Utilized 2022 NCHA data to determine current campus needs
  • Used NCHA Statistics for comparison for 2020 and 2022 to evaluate program effectiveness
  • Added an SGA member to each PSAB subcommittee
  • Increased collaboration with the YMCA on campus
  • PSAB social media have contributions from the Prevention Ambassadors, and Prevention Services, and also cross-promotes prevention-related information and events from other PSAB departments.
  • Current Prevention Services Advisory Board
    • Promoting Wellness Subcommittee:
      • Heather Stafford, Chair (Student Health Services)
      • Marci Young (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Andy Sykes (Campus Rec)
      • Tonya Baldwin (International Education)
      • Elizabeth Hardyway (YMCA)
      • Jennifer Nicholson (Office of Disability Services)
    • Preventing Suicide Subcommittee:
      • Sarah Stephens Selmon, Chair (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Mitchell Adamson (SGA VP)
      • Georgina LaFoe (Community Engagement Institute)
      • Guy Schroder (University Police Department)
      • Marci Young (CAPS)
      • Suzanne Hawley (Public Health Sciences)
    • Preventing Sexual Violence:
      • Cora Olson, Chair (CAPS, Office on Violence Against Women Grant)
      • Carley Enyart (Housing and Residence Life)
      • Corey Herl (UPD)
      • Kat Fishwick (Doctoral Practicum Student in Community Psychology
      • Kennedy Rogers (Student Affairs Staff Engagement)
      • Liz Thorton (Student Conduct and Community Standards)
      • Lucretia Taylor (Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance – Title IX Coordinator)
      • Marci Young (Counseling and Prevention Services and Prevention and Outreach Director)
      • Victoria Gardner (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Alicia Newell (Student Affairs, Assessment and Retention, and CARE Team)
      • Jodie Hertzog (Sociology Department)
      • Josh Steward (Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office)
      • Meredith Osborne (WASAC Advocate)
    • Preventing Substance Abuse/Misuse
      • Marci Young, Chair (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Valerie Hubener (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Sheri Barnes (Academic Advising)
      • Kelly Adams (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
      • Andrew Moses (Athletics)
      • Alan Dsouza (Trio Support Services)
      • Liz Thorton (Student Conduct and Community Standards)
      • Sarah Stephens Selmon (Counseling and Prevention Services)
      • Jennifer Mackey (School of Social Work)
      • Malaree Hood (Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership)

Area of Focus 4a: Prevention Ambassadors

Program updates

  • We had six returning and four new ambassadors this academic year.
  • In Fall 2021, we began hybrid meetings and holding in-person activities.
  • The ambassadors began a collaboration with other groups such as the Black Student Union and Student Government Association for events such as the It’s On Us campaign.
  • Trainings for new ambassadors were overhauled to provide more skill development.
  • Presentations the ambassadors can give upon request were revised with ambassador input and will be promoted for Fall 2022.
  • Three ambassadors conducted summer internships to pursue special projects.
  • New ambassadors recruited for Fall 2022, including our first Social Work practicum student.

Events

  • Prevention Ambassadors engaged in 15 in-person events with 400 student contacts.
  • Informational tabling throughout the year
  • Mini-wellness fair organized by Student Health
  • Beer Goggle activity was well received and information on recognizing and responding to alcohol overdose provided
  • End of Fall 2021 semester wellness and craft event
  • World Kindness Day event

Denim Day events

  • Partnering with the Ulrich Museum to dress campus statues in denim and placed a yard sign next to the art installation raising awareness of Denim Day
  • Tabling events promoting Denim Day

Area of Focus 5: Applied Learning Opportunities

  • Prevention Services offered 29 students applied learning opportunities in FY 22, including those who participated in the Prevention Ambassador programs.
  • Created 7 communications applied learning opportunities
  • 2 students completed Community Psychology practicums.
  • Provided 1 Program Evaluation applied learning opportunity each semester of FY 21.
  • Began to utilize space as an Applied Learning Center for Prevention and Student Health Students

Area of Focus 6: Grants

  • Awarded Suicide Prevention Mini-grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
  • Received funding from Blue Window (contracted by KDOT) to engage in preventing impaired driving campaign
  • Hired GLS grant coordinator in May 2022.
  • Submitted SAMSHA grant for a 5-year, $2.5 million to address prescription drug misuse.

Area of Focus 7a: Wellness Promotion

  • Created Wellness in the Workplace program beginning in Fall 2021, and Wellness for Students in Spring 2022. These easy-to-use exercises allow supervisors or individuals to infuse wellness content into their everyday routines and meetings.
  • 892 sets of Wellness cards have been distributed for use.
  • Developed focused efforts to educate campus supervisors on ways to increase mental health support to the University faculty and staff.
  • Launched a large-scale Fall 2021 multimedia mental wellness campaign expanding on our initial messages to talk about mental health, check in on peers, and get help when needed.
  • 1,548 online mental health screens were completed. This is a 25% decrease from FY21. This resource was heavily utilized during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic when stay-at-home recommendations were common.
  • Created worksheets for the Wellness Cards activities. Worksheets include the 168 Hour worksheet, 168-Hour Time Management worksheet, and Stress Management worksheet.

Area of Focus 7b: Preventing Suicide

  • Created videos about hope and resilience after experiencing suicidal ideation
  • Completed a Spanish translation of our Preventing Suicide training
  • Connected with members of the WSU community who completed the Preventing Suicide training online to provide them with follow-up materials, resources, and a free suspenders t-shirt.
  • 899 individuals completed the Preventing Suicide training in FY 22. This brings the total of people trained in #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide to 3,756 since its launch in September 2018.
  • Data collected was updated to only one post-test, and data continues to indicate the training is effective in its goals and meets standards to be represented as an evidence-based suicide prevention training.
  • Distributed crisis magnets to all Housing and Residence Life apartments as well as information on how to take the online Preventing Suicide training.
  • Engaged in student focus groups to evaluate student perspectives on our current trainings.

KDHE Mini-grant

  • Reviewed literature and current resources to create a version of the #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide training specifically for Law Enforcement.
  • Engaged in interviewing police officers for additional information in presenting materials
  • Created focus groups of law enforcement to provide feedback on the first version of the training

Area of Focus 7c: Preventing Sexual Violence

DOJ: OVW Campus Program DVSAS Prevention/Intervention Grant

Prepared by Cora O. Olson, M.P.H, M.A.

Coordinated Campus Community Response Team (CCCRT)

  • The CCCRT moved monthly meetings to in-person in August, generating new momentum and greater connection among CCCRT members and supporting the regular cross-training of team members at meetings that began in October.
  • The CCCRT member onboarding process had been established that includes a layout of leadership and decision-making processes, working group structure and expectations, as well as communication strategies that the CCCRT can use to get people involved and foster buy-in.
  • Workgroups formed to focus on the areas of prevention and trauma-informed response. The goals as outlined in the OVW grant strategic plan are divided among the subcommittees.
  • The Strategic plan was completed and approved by OVW detailing the grant goals, action steps, timelines, and parties involved in meeting the various goals.
  • The CCCRT attended the October three-day, virtual OVW Technical Training Institute covering topics of team building and collective impact, law enforcement, student conduct, and prevention.
  • Six members of the CCCRT attended an intensive SPARC training on stalking prevention and awareness that was hosted by StepStone in Wichita.

Comprehensive prevention efforts

  • Mandatory Everfi Sexual Violence Prevention Training
    • We worked with campus partners, including the SGA It’s On Us campaign, in communicating positive messaging about the policy changes and the need for students to complete the Everfi training in Fall 2021.
    • OVW approved the Everfi training as meeting the grant requirement of the university having a mandatory sexual violence prevention training for incoming students.
    • From July 1 to December 31, 2021, a total of 12,432 of the 16,097 enrolled students were trained in sexual assault prevention training (Everfi). In the reporting period one year ago (7/20-12/20), only incoming students were expected to take the Not Anymore Training WSU used at the time and 1,329 of 3,527 incoming students completed the training. From January 1 to June 30, 2022, a total of 3,236 students were trained in sexual assault prevention training. This total includes undergraduate and graduate students. Data provided by Lucretia Taylor (OIEC).
  • Bystander Intervention Training
    • We developed revised Bystander Intervention Training with input from the CCCRT and a variety of students. This training will solidify the skills our students need to be effective, safe, and engaged members of the community as they look out for their peers. The training utilizes I-SAS and ties into the SAS model used by #WSUWeSupportU trainings. This training will serve as an in-person training option instructors and organizations can request. 17 student focus group participants were trained during the development process.
    • We developed an evaluation tool for the training to ensure materials are efficacious, generate attitude change, and build participant skills.
    • I-SAS was incorporated into New Student Orientation material for CAPS and adapted based on student feedback (1,493 student focus group participants were trained during the development process).
  • Classroom Infusion Activities have been developed by the grant team and CCCRT to help promote conversation in the classroom about social norms, empathy, and healthy relationships as well as provide basic prevention information about intimate partner violence, sexual assault and stalking. The activities have been intentionally crafted to connect students and instructors teaching a wide variety of course content. 17 student focus group participants were trained during the development process.
  • The CCCRT chair, Cora Olson, met with every Residential Advisor on campus to provide information about the grant, sexual violence prevention efforts on campus, and to foster collaboration with student stakeholders.
  • StepStone In Her Shoes trainings and the Purple Mile (see community partnership section below) as well as the Denim Day events (see Prevention Ambassador section) were also part of our comprehensive prevention strategies.

Policy, procedures, and communications

  • We have identified who is on our hearing boards pertaining to issues of DVSAS and worked with TA providers to compile a list of trainings our hearing board members should be receiving. Hearing board training information has been gathered from Title IX and Student Conduct to assess in light of best practices.
  • Procedure, policy, and resource review underway to assess university resources related to student care/referral around intimate partner and sexual violence (webpages, policies, referral and communication processes, etc.) for clarity, comprehensiveness, trauma-informed language, perspective, and unified and up to date messaging. The below Student Support Sheet is an example addressing gaps identified by the review.
  • The CCCRT has designed a one-page Student Support Sheet (SSS) mapping out how survivors can access the confidential and non-confidential resources on campus, what to expect from each resource, how the resources communicate with one another, and a personalized appointment and next steps section for the students to complete with resource personnel if they choose. This sheet will be incorporated by each campus resource into the information they provide to students. The SSS was developed to address barriers to accessibility of resources and it will serve as a clear and consistent communication tool for all departments serving survivors of DVSAS alongside the additional information each department may provide. The SSS facilitated more trauma-informed communication and support for our students.
  • We completed a review/ updating of the resources in the community for survivors to access that will be posted on the website for students and campus supports to access.We collaborated with Student Affairs in conducting CARE Team focus groups to assess services and student experience with a variety of departments across campus.

Community partnership activities

  • The chair of the CCCRT, Cora Olson, served on the planning team for the annual Purple Mile domestic violence memorial walk and community resource fair held at WSU. Community organizations involved in the event included Harbor House, Wichita Family Crisis Center, Law Enforcement Training Center, StepStone, Wichita Police Department, USD 259, the Airforce, and over a dozen others. Almost 200 people participated in the Purple Mile on 10/9/21. This has served as an opportunity to build community partnerships and better connect the campus and community.
  • StepStone conducted two In Her Shoes trainings for the campus community during the academic year as part of the It’s On Us campaign and as a training for Student Affairs staff (16 participants total). We have working to continue growing this relationship and possible collaborations.
  • Heather Stafford with Student Health was able to move our Wichita Area Sexual Assault campus advocate partner into the Student Wellness Center from an academic building. This has increased the safety and confidentiality of survivors and collaboration with student health and counseling services. This move was accompanied by PSAB members widely promoting advocacy services and new advocacy locations/hours online and at student orientation, open houses, welcome fairs, etc. along with planning means of better-communicating services to students and employees in Spring 2022.

Area of Focus 7d: Preventing Substance Abuse

  • A total of 1,298 individuals engaged in some type of substance abuse prevention intervention
  • Completed 2nd and 3rd Tier AOD sanctions in collaboration with Student Conduct and Community Standards.
  • Created a survey about students’ thoughts and opinions on important topics such as the effects, risks, and presence of illegal substances in Wichita. The survey will provide us with valuable insight into students’ attitudes towards substances. Flyers have also been created to be shared across campus (physically and digitally) advertising the survey and a prize for one randomly chosen participant.
  • Met with Lyft about potential partnership opportunities. Options offered by Lyft include providing students with vouchers to use and/or using time or geo-fencing restrictions for certain events. For example, during a WSU basketball game, students will be able to be picked up from the venue and receive a discount.
  • Met with Wichita Transit to discuss transportation options for WSU students/faculty/staff and whether or not it would be a good transportation alternative if individuals are impaired. Although the services are free to WSU individuals with a WSU ID, the buses stop relatively early and do not function during Holidays.

Blue Window Collaboration

  • Created partnership with the Kansas Department of Transportation and KDOT’s Drive to Zero campaign to spread awareness of alcohol abuse and substance abuse and the effects of impairments on driving performance.
  • Created various advertisements (flyers, social media posts, etc.) and posted them across campus and other communication channels. The content focuses on messaging around safe driving and transportation options. Messaging also includes safe practices around alcohol consumption (e.g. knowing the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do in emergencies).
  • Collaborated with Student Affairs and Housing and Residence departments to share flyers in their departments’ respective areas (e.g. Rhatigan Student Centre, Shocker Hall, and The Flats).
  • Designed merch items with safe driving, safe alcohol practices, and “Keep Shocker Nation Safe” messages (e.g. license plates, coasters, bracelets, etc.)
  • Creating a webpage where WSU individuals can take a pledge to not drive while impaired. Advertisements have been created.
  • Created brochures for the Shocker Store. Students, faculty, and staff have the option to receive a free WSU t-shirt near their birthday - the brochure will be provided along with the t-shirt. The brochure contains information about safe practices around alcohol and transportation options. Over the summer, the Shocker Store has been sending out an estimate of 10-20 emails about free birthday shirts per day, and 5 or so people pick up a shirt every day. These numbers are expected to significantly increase during the regular school semesters (Fall and Spring). Additional brochures will also be placed at the checkout for individuals to take if interested.
  • Continued collaboration with the Sunflower to publish ads promoting the AOD survey and pledge webpage.