Another death at U of A; find out where to find campus support services

WATCH ABOVE: The number of students attempting or considering suicide every year is staggering. Staff and students at the U of A are reeling from another death. Kendra Slugoski reports.

EDMONTON — Staff and students at the University of Alberta are dealing with a second death on campus in less than a month.

On October 27, police responded to a non-criminal death in Hub Mall. Last week, a student who was living at another university residence was found.

“It’s a deep loss to our whole campus community,” said Robin Everall, Acting Vice-Provost and Dean of Students at the U of A.

Details remain private, but the university says it has many programs to help students deal with stress, especially this time of year as final exams approach.

In the past three years, the university has expanded its outreach program yet still the number of students considering suicide is alarming.

Last year, more than 5,000 Alberta students were surveyed. More than eight per cent had seriously considered suicide. One per cent had attempted it.

In a 2011 survey, more than 460 U of A students said they attempted suicide the previous year.

READ MORE: 7 common suicide myths

“It’s not out of balance with the general population, but we have a very concentrated of students here in this age group. That is a huge and frightening statistic, and one that’s really concerning to us,” said Everall.

“All the more reason for us to create support structures that meet their needs.”

With a $3 million boost from the province, the U of A has expanded outreach programs and can now help at least five times as many students.

But funding for many mental health programs will soon run out. And without that money, outreach at Alberta schools could be scaled back.

Health Minister Stephen Mandel says it’s on his radar.

“Any time you can deal with those kind of challenges with the effectiveness they’ve used the money, it’s a good investment. Hopefully we can continue to fund it.”

You can find a full list of campus support services below:

• Student Success Centre: Caring staff offer workshops, individual appointments, and other resources to support students’ academic success.
• University Wellness Services offers a range of services:
  • Health clinic, located on the 2nd floor of SUB, is primarily drop-in and provides a wide variety of professional, friendly and compassionate medical services to students and staff.
  • Counselling and Clinical Services offer individual counselling, as well as a series of drop-in workshops on a number of topics, and online resources including an audio relaxation series.
  • Sexual Assault Centre – a safe and compassionate place on campus where trained staff provide support, confidentiality, and advocacy to those affected by sexual violence.
  • Campus Pharmacy, located in the Bookstore in SUB, provides convenient and professional services to the U of A community.
• Community Social Work Team: This approachable and knowledgeable team can be a great place for students to start with questions or concerns. Their primary focus is on helping students become connected to each other, the campus community, and resources both on and off campus.
• Peer Support Centre: Provides information, referrals, crisis intervention, and a completely confidential place to talk.
• Residence Services: If you live in residence, remember that your RA can be a support and can help you find other support services you might need. You can also check your residence’s web page for more information.
• Aboriginal Student Services Centre: ASSC honours the indigenous world view of education as a continuous ceremony of learning by respecting and supporting the voices and spirit of the Aboriginal community at the U of A. Students have access to advising, Elder services and a smudge room.
• International Student Services: The staff in ISS are committed to helping international students adjust to life in Canada and providing a supportive environment for international students studying at the U of A.
• Helping Individuals at Risk: If you are concerned that someone you know may be at risk of harming themselves you can contact the co-ordinator at the Helping Individuals at Risk office for support and guidance.

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, you can also visit suicideprevention.ca for a list of resources.

In case of an emergency, please call 911.

With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News