Taking action through connections, community, and collaborative supports
Over the last decade, a growing concern across Canada is student suicides, both on and off campus. McGill University has taken steps towards building capacity to help students in difficulty and those struggling with suicide.
In Fall of 2019 the need for a comprehensive student suicide prevention framework was identified through McGill campus consultations with students, faculty, and staff. This included, working with external experts and the review of leading practices. During our consultation phase, in addition to bolstering postvention activities, the McGill community voiced concerns for increased suicide prevention and intervention initiatives. Although these are interconnected, the most significant identified gap is postvention. While the comprehensive framework includes all three phases, postvention will be the priority addressed. By beginning with a focus on postvention, it will allow the McGill community to strengthen safe practices.
In 2021, the Office of the Dean of Students (ODoS) hired Melissa Lutchman, as the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Specialist. Ms. Lutchman has both personal and professional experience working in crisis intervention and suicide prevention for over 18 years and has national recognition for her work.
Student Suicide Prevention Framework
In collaboration with Lina Di Genova, Director of Strategy, Assessment and Evaluation, Ms. Lutchman continues to work on a Student Suicide Prevention Framework, a living document to formalize processes that are already in place and ensure that McGill follows best practices. ODoS works in collaboration with the Student Wellness Hub and continues to maintain and develop external partnerships.
The Student Suicide Prevention Framework provides guidelines and protocols for the McGill community in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention based on up-to-date best practices that promote community, connections, and collaborative supports. It takes an in-depth look at the current gaps at McGill and shares recommendations based on best practices.
Brief overview of the Framework:
- Best practices:
- A global public health issue
- Suicide prevention among postsecondary students
- How to safely talk about suicide
- Understanding risk and protective factors associated with suicide
- McGill University and North American context in student mental health
- Benchmark comparisons
- Suicide prevention at McGill University
- Increased student access to mental health supports
- Helping students in difficulty
- Framework development process and community consultations
- McGill’s Student Suicide Prevention Framework
- Purpose
- Goals
- Development of postvention program for McGill University
- Environmental scan
- Recommendations for a postvention program
Postvention training
From 2024 to 2026, Ms. Lutchman partnered with the Centre de Prévention du Suicide de Montréal (CPSM) to develop a Postvention training that aligns with best practices in suicide prevention.
The postvention training for clinicians and managers was developed in alignment with the recommendations of an early draft of the Student Suicide Prevention Framework and constitutes a key component of its broader implementation strategy. The training addresses institutional responsibility in navigating and implementing postvention activities while minimizing suicide exposure effects.
Ms. Lutchman and members of ODoS's Crisis Response Team will be offering the training on best practices in postvention to faculties and units across campus. ODoS is also responsible for coordinating postvention activities in close collaboration with the faculties or units that are directly impacted.
