Mental Health & Well-Being
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Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Education is essential for enhancing campus well-being. Stigma remains a significant barrier for students seeking mental health care, often making them hesitant to ask for help. This page outlines ways you learn skills to intervene, create a culture that values connection, decrease stigma and prioritize mental health.
Are you or someone you know in need of immediate crisis support? Find resources.
Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR)
QPR is a nationally recognized suicide prevention training designed to teach participants how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis, how to offer hope, and how to get help. Much like CPR, QPR is an emergency mental health intervention — a simple but effective approach that anyone can learn.
At Ohio University, we offer 90-minute QPR Gatekeeper Trainings led by trained facilitators. Participants will learn how to:
- Question someone who may be struggling
- Persuade them to seek help
Refer them to appropriate resources
QPR is open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. Whether you’re a peer, professor, RA, coach, or student leader, QPR gives you tools to support someone in need and help prevent suicide in your community.
Thrive 5
Our conversations and events are rooted in the Thrive 5 – five evidence-based approaches that, when practiced regularly, help positively contribute to our personal well-being.
- Connect – Strengthen relationships and support systems
- Keep Learning – Stay curious and open to growth
- Be Active – Move in ways that feel good
- Take Notice – Be mindful and present
- Give – Share your time, energy, and care with others
We use these tools to reflect, build resilience and foster a community of care.
Show Us How You Thrive!
Tell us how you’ve been supporting your well-being by tracking your actions in the Thrive 5. Whether you’ve taken a mindful walk, helped a friend, or tried something new—every step counts.
The Green Bandana Project
The Bandana Project is a national mental health awareness and suicide prevention campaign. Members of the program tie a lime green bandana to their backpack, which signifies that they carry national and local mental health and suicide prevention resources. This program works against the societal stigma associated with mental illness and creates more supportive communities. Having a bandana means that you are willing to have a conversation about mental health concerns and shows that it is normal to get help for your mental health.
The Green Bandana Project is open to anyone who completes QPR or Bobcats Who Care training. By joining, students become part of a visible campus community committed to mental health awareness and stigma reduction. Members receive a Green Bandana and resource card to display, signaling that they are trained, supportive peers who can listen without judgment and encourage others to seek support.
Green Bandana Project Athens Resource Hub (opens in a new window)
Bobcats Who Care
Bobcats Who Care is an interactive, three-hour gatekeeper training designed for those who want to go beyond the basics of suicide prevention. Ideal for peer leaders, faculty and staff, this session offers hands-on practice and deeper learning in how to recognize, respond to, and support someone in emotional distress.
- Participants will:
- Explore the impact of suicide on college campuses
- Reflect on personal reactions to suicide and distress
- Learn how to build meaningful connections with someone in crisis
- Practice asking directly about suicide and assessing risk
- Gain confidence in referring someone to appropriate mental health resources
This training is offered by Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) and is ideal for those looking for information beyond or in addition to QPR.
Learn More or Request Bobcats Who Care (opens in a new window)