By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org

Davenport University is focused on student mental health. When approached by Corewell Health to participate in its Blue Envelope suicide prevention program, the university was immediately on board.

The collegiate version of Blue Envelope launched at Davenport this September, the first college to adopt the program.

Preventing suicide by intervention

The Blue Envelope program was first developed to serve hospitals and doctor’s offices and was then modified five and a half years ago for K-12 schools across Michigan to combat the increase in students with suicidal thoughts. The Blue Envelope program is designed to empower staff to intervene with confidence, knowledge and competence and is having a positive impact.

As of June 2024, the program touched more than 95,000 K-12 students and trained more than 15,000 staff in 230 Michigan schools. Last year, participating schools reported 1,400 incidents of what are called “preventative opportunities.”

Due to the program’s success in K-12 schools, Corewell Health decided to expand into Michigan colleges and universities.

A culture of care

Broad-based training of Davenport staff and faculty began in early September and is ongoing.

Joe Bishop, Davenport’s executive director of Campus Life, said this is a wonderful opportunity for the university. “Davenport is proud to be the first university partner for the collegiate Blue Envelope program and to continue our efforts to innovate and provide an outstanding culture of care for our students.”

“So far, employees from Public Safety, Campus Life, Career Services, College of Health faculty members, coaches, advisors, resident assistants, our leadership Cabinet and more have been trained,” said Bishop. “Our goal is to get as many faculty and staff trained as possible over the course of the school year.”

Clear instruction for response

The Blue Envelope program utilizes nationally recognized and evidence-based tools that provide clear instructions for university staff so they know how to respond when a student expresses thoughts of suicide.

Jody Sprague, Corewell Health’s Program Manager for Corewell Health’s school-based suicide prevention, said this program equips faculty and staff to quickly and discretely alert others of a priority situation so that the student can receive immediate interventions and swift access to supportive resources.

“This program has been so successful because it is preventative and not reactive,” said Sprague. “Instead of sending people directly to the emergency room, we can recognize the signs and provide wrap-around support before it gets to the point that it becomes an emergency.”

No issue is too big or too small

This philosophy fits in perfectly with what Darrin Oliver, lead counselor at Davenport’s Wellness Center, and his team are striving to achieve. The center is made possible by the Keith and Kathy Klingenberg Family Mental Health Fund and illustrates the university’s commitment to mental health.

“At Davenport, we see many students with high levels of anxiety and students experiencing sadness,” said Oliver. “Research has shown that college students are more anxious than ever before, and anxiety continues to steadily rise.

“In addition, 10-30% of college students report depressive tendencies. Students seek counseling for a number of reasons, and I want to emphasize that no issue is too big or too small.”

According to Oliver, some common trigger events that can lead to depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide include family and relationship issues, untreated or ongoing mental health conditions, academic or athletic challenges, bullying, recent loss or death, extracurricular challenges, financial stress and feeling lonely.

Oliver wants students to know that if they need someone to talk to, that’s what the counselors at the Wellness Center are for.

“We’re here to listen and provide students with the tools and resources needed to help them work through any issue. It’s important to work through these issues before they become too much to handle.”

Opportunity, resources and understanding

Oliver has been through the Blue Envelope training and says it is a wonderful addition to the university’s efforts to support student mental health.

“This program gives the wider Davenport community the opportunity to have conversations about suicide and to arm them with resources to help them understand the risk factors and traits associated with suicidal ideation and behavior,” said Oliver.

“What I’m hearing from those who have been through the Blue Envelope training is that they feel more prepared if they encounter a student experiencing suicidal ideation. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 17-24-year-olds, so having these conversations and programs at Davenport is crucial.”

Sprague agrees. “This incredible community partnership would not be possible without a grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.”

Sprague said Davenport will be able to start training its own staff in approximately one year, at which point the Blue Envelope program will be sustainable.

“This program is really going to benefit our student body, and we hope to be able to continue the training for a long time,” said Bishop. “I’d especially like to thank Keri Dutkiewicz, Davenport’s director of faculty learning and training, for co-leading the program. Without Dutkiewicz, Davenport would not have been able to take on the project.”

Engagement, comfort and hope

Dutkiewicz feels that the Blue Envelope program is a natural extension of the other ways Davenport invests in the personal and professional growth of faculty and staff, like offering training to build self-awareness and understanding each other’s differences.

“We don’t just automatically know how to respond when someone expresses that they are experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis,” said Dutkiewicz. “The Blue Envelope program equips faculty and staff with the evidence based skills needed to effectively respond in these situations so we can help keep each other safe.

“We don’t hesitate to help someone if they are having a cardiac event, so why would we hesitate to get someone professional help if they are experiencing a mental health crisis?”

Dutkiewicz said she hopes the program inspires the Davenport community to give an honest answer when someone asks how they are doing and to feel comfortable enough to ask for and offer help when needed. “I also hope this program helps us engage with our families, friends and our communities to bring hope and professional help to those who need it,” she said.

Additional support and resources

In addition to the Blue Envelope program and the services offered at its Wellness Center, Davenport is taking the following steps to help decrease the prevalence of depression and mental health issues on its campus:

• Get Connected student group: One of the newest initiatives at Davenport is the “Get Connected” student group organized by Davenport’s Wellness Center. This group is designed to help students who are feeling lonely or struggling to make friends and connections. For more information, email counseling@davenport.edu.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk: To help bring awareness to mental health issues, Davenport participates in the annual National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk every September. The community walk is held on Davenport’s W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus and brings attention to the issue of mental health.
• “I understand”: Member of the Davenport Alumni Board Vonnie Woodrick created “I understand,” a nonprofit that provides compassionate comfort and understanding for those affected by suicide or mental/brain health illness and pain. Click here for more information.

Read more about the Blue Envelope program here.

Davenport students can make an appointment at the Wellness Center by calling 616-871-6166 or by visiting https://www.davenport.edu/campus-life/wellness-center. The Wellness Center’s counselors can also be reached on the “urgent” line at 616-340-5243.

*If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call or text the suicide prevention hotline at 988.