A. Purpose
To establish protocol for communicating the availability of suicide prevention and awareness resources to the college community.
B. Policy
The college will maintain suicide prevention and awareness resources and will communicate the availability of these resources to the college community as required by RSMo173.1200.
C. Procedures
Resources
Ozarks Tech will publish suicide prevention and awareness resources on its webpages with information that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Crisis intervention access for national, state, and local suicide prevention hotlines.
- Mental health program access, which provides information on the availability of local mental health clinics, health services, and college counseling services.
- Multimedia application access, which includes crisis hotline contact information, suicide warning signs, resources offered, and free-of-cost applications and print materials.
Ozarks Tech also maintains student communication plans and postvention plans that outline the availability of resources and protocols for working with and notifying students, employees and families following the death of a student by suicide. These internal plans are maintained by the Counseling Services department in collaboration with other appropriate college departments.
Mental Health Education
New and continuing Ozarks Tech students and employees will have access to information about mental health topics, including depression and suicide prevention. In addition to comprehensive online resources, mental health education will be made available on a variety of platforms including:
- OTC Cares and Counseling Services presentations available system-wide upon request,
- Information on college information channel monitors.
- Professional development presentations offered to employees and students upon request.
- Suicide and mental-health crisis hotline three-digit dialing code (988) printed on student id cards.
- System-wide emails to the college community highlighting available resources.
Online Reporting
Through the OTC Cares online referral system, members of the college community may report concerns about the safety or well-being of a student. Referrals may be submitted anonymously.
D. Definitions
- College Community
students, faculty and staff of the college, the Board of Trustees, visitors, contractors and consultants performing work or services on college-owned or leased properties and all other invitees of the college.
- OTC Cares
Ozarks Tech’s comprehensive model of care for identifying student concerns, coordinating appropriate responses, and connecting students with resources that promote academic success, well-being, and safety.
G. Implementation
Policy approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees on 03/12/2018 and revised 05/11/2020.
Purpose, procedures, responsibilities and definitions approved and adopted by the Cabinet on 02/06/2018 and revised 04/21/2020, 04/20/2023 and 09/29/2026.
Set for review 2029-2030.