Transition From Awareness to Action

UH launches year four of the JED Campus Initiative

By Natasha Saad

Image of the Student Center South Ballroom filled with attendees of the JED Year 4 Kickoff meeting.

Building a supportive, connected campus takes the entire community — and recent initiatives at the University of Houston are helping make resources more accessible than ever.

UH campus leaders kicked off Year 4 of the JED Campus Initiative on Feb. 3, bringing together faculty, staff and students from across campus to celebrate progress, provide insights and share next steps in promoting mental health and holistic well-being.

Emceed by Shanae Speller, program director of Counseling and Psychological Services, the meeting highlighted three years of dedicated work, featured updates from JED workgroups and spotlighted student-led advocacy efforts like Project Zen and the development of a Mental Health Council.

Graphic showing the 8 workgroup committees: Social Connectedness, Develop Life Skills,, ID Students At Risk, Increase Help Seeking Behavior, Mental Health Services, SUDAC, Strategic Planning, Crisis Management & Means Restriction.

“Mental health and wellbeing are foundational to student success, belonging, and persistence at the University of Houston,” Speller said. “The JED Year 4 Kickoff reflects our commitment to moving beyond awareness toward a sustainable, campus-wide culture of care — where students feel seen, supported and empowered to seek help early, not only in moments of crisis.”

Year 4 Key Updates and Initiatives

Expanded Clinical Support

  • Embedded clinicians now serve students directly within the College of Medicine, Cullen College of Engineering, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and C. T. Bauer College of Business
  • CAPS added an additional case manager and licensed clinician at the main counseling center to increase access and care coordination

After-Hours Mobile Mental Health Response

  • Mobile response team clinicians launched in November 2025
  • Clinicians co-respond with the UH Police Department for mental health-related calls
  • Response team is available Monday – Friday, 2:30 -11:30 p.m., expanding support beyond traditional business hours

Digital Mental Health Resources

  • Students and employees can access support tools anytime through: Welltrack Boost, Togetherall, Wayhaven
  • These tools provide on-demand coping strategies, peer support and skill-building between classes and appointments

Crisis Management and Prevention Efforts

HOPE Signage Initiative

  • Visible signage across campus provides immediate emotional support and crisis resources
  • Signage encourages students to reach out during moments of distress
  • Initiative reinforces the message that help is always available

Postvention Protocol Development

  • Guided by Kurt Michael, vice president of prevention & crisis response consulting for The Jed Foundation
  • Includes training for a campuswide postvention team made up of key stakeholders
  • Focuses on coordinated response and community care following critical incidents
Image of the Project Zen students presenting at the JED Kickoff Meeting.

Project Zen members: Bria Murphy, Manvi Srivastava, Kalen Holt, Gretta Shibola, Kirstina Apraricio, Nyla Pearson

Project Zen members: Bria Murphy, Manvi Srivastava, Kalen Holt, Gretta Shibola, Kirstina Apraricio, Nyla Pearson

Image of Marti Trummer-Cabrera and Eric Smith speaking about the Social Connectedness workgroup.

Assistant Director for Outreach at CAPS Marti Trummer-Cabrera and Associate Director for the Center for Student Involvement Eric Smith sharing updates on the Social Connectedness workgroup.

Assistant Director for Outreach at CAPS Marti Trummer-Cabrera and Associate Director for the Center for Student Involvement Eric Smith sharing updates on the Social Connectedness workgroup.

Image of a hand-painted End the Stigma sign laying next to 1,001 shirts to represent the lives lost to suicide on college campuses.

As the initiative enters its fourth year, UH leaders emphasized that JED’s impact depends on continued collaboration across campus.

Marti Trummer-Cabrera, assistant director for outreach at CAPS, highlighted the importance of this community effort and that it takes everyone, from faculty and staff to students, to support holistic well-being and student success.

“Year 4 of JED is not the end for us,” Trummer-Cabrera explained. “It’s a new beginning to an iterative process that will continue to improve mental health, with the help of the UH community.”

Learn more about how to get involved in the JED Campus Initiative.

For a list of mental health resources available to UH students, faculty and staff, visit the CoogsCARE website.

 

Need Support Now?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call CAPS crisis support 24/7 at 713-743-5454, or for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call or text 988, or chat online at 988 Lifeline Chat and Text.

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