Illustration by Justin Morrison / Inside Higher Ed
Even though I’m a psychiatrist who sees students, faculty and staff as patients, I hadn’t really thought about the gap in how we support employees in crisis until one of my attendings died by suicide. As my text messages lit up as if I was still a resident, I quickly realized just how many people are impacted when the person who dies is, or was, someone’s teacher.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. On campuses across the country, that means counseling centers are talking about their resources, normalizing help-seeking and making crisis numbers known. All of this is important, but employees are not getting the same attention.
I spoke with experts—Christine Yu Moutier, the chief medical officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Kurt Michael, the vice president for prevention and crisis response at The Jed Foundation—to get their thoughts. “We often talk more openly about student mental health because colleges and universities have increasingly recognized student well-being, mental health and suicide prevention as critical to accomplishing their educational mission,” Moutier said. “Faculty and staff, however, are often viewed primarily through the lens of their professional roles, and there can be an assumption that adults should be able to manage distress on their own.”
That assumption isn’t accurate, especially because an employee’s death ripples outward in a way a student’s death often doesn’t. “People may be grieving not only a colleague but also a teacher, adviser, supervisor or trusted mentor,” Moutier emphasized. “If the person held a highly visible role, the impact may extend across multiple departments and generations of students.”
Generations. That’s what stayed with me and what I experienced, too. It just felt different.
I don’t say any of this to make anyone feel unprepared or distraught. Quite the opposite—by naming the problem clearly, I’m hoping awareness turns into action. Here’s what colleges, universities and colleagues can actually do.
Silence Isn’t Helping Anyone
Not talking about it doesn’t mean people aren’t struggling. It does, however, make people feel more alone, less comfortable reaching out for help and less aware they even need to. This is all compounded by workplace concerns about confidentiality and promotion.
Silence can also make it hard for colleagues or supervisors to know what to do if they are concerned about someone. That can change, Moutier noted, “by communicating consistently that mental health is part of overall health and that reaching out will lead to care—not punishment or professional consequences.”
Know What to Look For, but Also That Employees May Be Masking
Warning signs include irritability, withdrawal, loss of interest, change in concentration or work performance, and expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness. Without training, however, many people in higher education don’t know what to notice. “Colleagues should trust their instincts, especially if they know the person well,” said Michael. “In essence, you are looking for changes in work performance, appearance, mood or behavior.” Don’t dismiss what you think you see.
These signs can also be hard to spot in a professional setting, and suicide risk is not always obvious, Moutier noted. “Suicide is multifactorial and dynamic: Risk can change quickly. A person can be experiencing intense psychological pain while continuing to work, perform well, and intentionally cloaking the signs of what they are going through.” We should never assume that someone producing at work is truly “fine.”
Start a Conversation—It Can Save a Life
Knowing how to talk to a co-worker about your concerns can also be difficult. But your job isn’t to diagnose them or solve their problems; it’s to listen. Both Moutier and Michael suggested starting simply and personally: “I’ve noticed you seem more distracted lately, and I wanted to check in,” or “Are you OK? I’m worried about you.” Lead with concern, not assumptions or advice, and leave space for them to respond. (Check out more tips through AFSP’s Talk Away the Dark). The goal should always be care and safety, with a warm handoff to a resource, if possible, not discipline.
It is important to ask directly about suicide if you are concerned. Research shows this does not plant a new idea or increase risk. In many cases, Moutier explained, “it can reduce a person’s sense of isolation and communicate that they can speak honestly without being judged.” If someone says they’re having thoughts of suicide, take them seriously. Stay with them, don’t leave them alone and connect them to immediate support. Nationwide, you can call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 or go to the nearest ER if there’s immediate danger.
Build Infrastructure Before a Crisis
A 2024 AFSP poll found that 92 percent of respondents believe employers have a role to play in supporting mental health and suicide prevention. Since higher ed institutions are workplaces, our employees should expect the same considerations for mental health as physical health. And that should not just be during times of crisis or after a suicide death. According to Michael, institutions need to be proactive as a part of upstream prevention and go beyond access to an employee assistance program.
“Credibility comes from demonstrating that mental health is part of the organization’s responsibility for employee health and safety—not simply an individual benefit employees must navigate on their own,” Moutier said. “Suicide prevention is everyone’s responsibility.” She also noted that support is more credible when employees help shape it, often through a cross-functional team (e.g., human resources, faculty, staff, campus safety and counseling). Services matter, but a supportive culture, starting first with listening to the employees themselves, is essential (the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention offer a broader framework).
Have a Plan for Postvention
Postvention is an organized response after a suicide that supports healing and reduces risk for others who may be vulnerable. Campuses work on these plans for student deaths often, and many are required by state law, but employee-focused plans are far less common. “We may talk less about employee postvention because workplaces often view suicide as a private issue or assume that employee assistance programs alone are sufficient,” Moutier said. “There can also be discomfort among leaders about discussing suicide before a death occurs. But planning is not an expectation that a suicide will happen; it is an act of preparedness and care.” In other words, no institution should be scrambling for a response and resources for their community in the moment of crisis. The good news, according to Michael, is that focusing on employees is gaining momentum, and will be added to the soon to be updated Higher Education Mental Health Alliance guide.
I still think about my faculty member’s death often, and how his clinical expertise didn’t protect him. I know others carry similar losses.
“Suicide loss is devastating, no matter the role or position in a campus community,” Michael said. “All loss deserves a compassionate response.”
The people who taught us how to be there for everyone else deserve that same compassion in return.
If you or someone you know are in crisis or considering suicide and need help, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8 or chat at 988lifeline.org, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
