Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) has been recognized for their efforts in mental health and suicide prevention awareness and is continuing to expand upon their program. About one in 100 undergraduate students have attempted suicide according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. Student Counselor at the DMACC Urban Campus in Ankeny, Dale Chell, says many students will not seek help when in need.
To help students and faculty learn to identify at-risk individuals, DMACC implemented a training program from a company called Kognito, which allows people to experience the signs of depression and other mental health concerns through a conversation simulator. Chell says talking about mental health is uncomfortable, and Kognito’s program allows for someone to get used to the idea.
Measuring the success of these training is difficult to quantify, but Chell adds it is worth the cost and effort if only one person is positively affected. DMACC was presented Kognito’s Winter Award for having more students take the training compared to other colleges and universities nationwide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates nearly 44,000 Americans commit suicide every year.
