In December 1998, Jed Satow died by suicide. He was 20 years old and a sophomore in college. It happened while he was home during the winter break. His parents, Phil and Donna Satow, were both blindsided and devastated. They quickly learned that suicide was (and still is) a leading cause of death among young people. But 25 years ago, talking about mental health challenges was taboo: it was not talked about openly and college campuses were grappling with how to address it. This fueled the Satows’ determination to seek answers.

“Communities struggled to overcome the shame and secrecy that prevented honest discussion of mental health,” said the couple. “In 2000, we founded The Jed Foundation (JED) to surmount these hurdles and launch a blueprint for prevention.”

After witnessing the absence of a standardized approach to preventing suicide on campuses, the JED Foundation has since evolved into the nation's leading organization dedicated to young adult mental health. UH joined The JED Campus Initiative in 2022. This Initiative guides colleges and universities through a four-year, collaborative process focused on comprehensive systems, programs and policy development with customized support. The initiative builds on existing student mental health, suicide prevention and substance abuse efforts.

“JED Campus is not only about suicide prevention … it is about protecting and developing mental health by building life skills,” said Chris Dawe, assistant vice president for health and wellbeing. “We want to create a campus culture where more students are thriving and struggling students will seek help and be recognized, connected to care and supported before suicide is ever even a consideration.”

Recent months have witnessed significant strides in this effort, thanks to the dedication of UH students, faculty and staff who have volunteered their time and energy. This collective commitment represents the initial phase of a four-year initiative aimed at fortifying mental health support on campus. Notable accomplishments during the first year include development of the “You Can Help a Coog” training program for the UH community. It prepares individuals to recognize, respond and refer students to essential mental health support.

Additional JED-related programming includes the successful launch of the CoogsCARE campaign and the introduction of valuable new clinical mental health services, such as Togetherall (online peer support network) and Welltrack Boost (self-help therapy tools), all provided to UH students free of charge.

“We have accomplished so much in the first year of this four-year initiative," said Marti Trummer-Cabrera, assistant director for outreach at CAPS and licensed psychologist. "The ‘You Can Help a Coog’ training goes beyond teaching our community skills to help students who are in distress. It extends into the realm of practicing empathetic responses when someone seeks assistance, fostering a culture of support within the UH community.”

The initiative also aims to create supportive classroom environments, where students share positive experiences involving professors and advisers who have contributed to this culture of care. Building on this success, CAPS actively engages with faculty and staff who exemplify supportive practices, seeking to understand and share their impactful contributions with the broader UH community.