By Ari’ Browley
World Suicide Prevention Day is calling attention to the importance of mental health and changing the narrative surrounding suicide.
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Grand Rapids Community College’s Counseling and Well-Being Center hosted an event on the fourth floor of RJF Hall that not only provided mental health resources, but also offered self-care goodie bags and free mental health screenings. Students stopped by the event, grabbing resources, connecting with counselors, and learning about the free services available right on campus.
“I think anything we can do to remind them that that’s provided for students. I think sometimes they think that there might be a cost, but no, that is why we are here,” said Sheila Jones, Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
“What we try to do at the college is care for the whole student. We know that, and I can say this from my own time as a college student… There are so many things that contribute to how students do in the classroom…,” Jones said. “So this is just one aspect of our multi-faceted get help resource or CARES network for students.”
A Healthy Minds survey from the Winter 2026 semester collected mental health data on about 700 GRCC students, revealing that in the past year, 24% of students suffered from self-injurious behavior, 13% suffered from suicidal ideation, 5% made a plan to attempt suicide, and 1% attempted suicide.
“Suicide is something that doesn’t discriminate,” said Melissa Ware, a licensed social worker and pro gram director of GRCC’s counseling center. “…Safety is something that is really important to us here in the counseling center. And so, I think bringing awareness is really important.”
Ware encourages students to participate in Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) training, a program that trains people how to recognize the signs and prevent suicide.
“Sometimes I used to call it a gatekeeper training, but just a training to equip people with the tools to be able to intervene and ask someone if they are having thoughts of suicide,” Ware said. “…It is not something that’s talked about as openly as it needs to be because if we talked about it a little bit more, maybe more people would know, and maybe more people would be safe.”
The certification is open to students, staff, and faculty to learn the skills necessary to assist someone struggling with their mental health.
For students interested in QPR training, there will be a “Be There” training in November led by peer educator Toni Keniston.
“It kind of gives you the skills to… ‘How would I talk to a friend if I noticed that something was going on?’ What would I say?’” Ware said.
Common misconceptions when it comes to suicide are “That talking about it will somehow make it happen, or it will increase the likelihood that someone will act on those thoughts,” Ware said. “…Actually the research and the data show the opposite. That it can be a deterrent or an obstacle or a barrier to somebody acting on that thought if they have got somebody to talk with about what they are feeling.”
If a student needs to reach out to a GRCC counselor, there are multiple ways to do so.
“We have a drop-in, so you can just walk in here,” Ware said. “If that’s (suicidal thoughts) the first thing and that’s all you can think about and you are on campus and you are having these thoughts, immediately come here.”
The counselors are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Just walk right in, and we will see them that same day, within a few minutes,” Ware said.
Ware wants students to know that they have mental health support at GRCC.
“They are not alone…,” Ware said. “We would love to support them here at the counseling center. We would encourage students to just even browse our website just as a first step. We have some self-help resources. You can sign up for counseling appointments online. You don’t have to call, you don’t need to come in, but if it’s more comfortable and you are feeling like it… Just come over and we can get you an appointment.”
Jones added, “We always want to hear how we are doing with students. So continuing through student government and student life leadership and through the counseling center, ‘is there anything we are missing?’… I always want to know that.”
Although World Suicide Prevention Day brings the issue to light, the topic of mental health deserves attention year-round, and both online and in-person resources are available at GRCC.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. Support is available through GRCC’s Counseling Center as well as the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Collegiate editor Kyle Jackson contributed to this story.
