Collegiate Life Alliance for Suicide Prevention

Universities and College Across the State of Florida Are CLASPing Together to Centralize Suicide Prevention Information and Resources to Educate and Empower Students, Staff, and Faculty.

Promoting Effective Suicide Awareness and Prevention

The suicide awareness and intervention effort state initiative began in the Spring Semester of 2016. Numerous Florida Universities and College Counseling Center Clinicians teamed up to strengthen suicide awareness and prevention efforts at their universities.

Universities and colleges across the state of Florida are CLASPing together to centralize suicide prevention information and resources to educate and empower students, staff, and faculty. CLASP, a Florida coalition of staff and students from various universities, is an active and supportive community promoting effective suicide awareness and prevention efforts to save lives at Florida colleges and universities.   This coalition, and many student focus groups, led to the development of the CLASPing Together Suicide Prevention program, a website that connects campuses together and contains numerous resources. CLASP is an acronym for the coalition supporting suicide prevention, and it is also an acronym used to teach suicide prevention gatekeeping skills. The letters in CLASP represent: "C" Conveying care; "L" Listening & Communicating without judgement; "A"-Asking directly about suicidal thoughts; "S"-Staying focused and present; "P"-Providing Resources.  This interactive program contains video clips, discussions, role plays, and games.  CLASP members throughout Florida currently meet virtually once a month to collaborate, support, and assist in suicide prevention efforts at state colleges and universities. Participating universities collaborate with campus partners to join their campus CLASP team. Using the power of community, we invite colleges and universities to join us in fighting suicide.

Benefits of this initiative have included collaboration, support, and assistance in suicide prevention efforts at our Florida Colleges and Universities.

University Representatives

CHAIR: Dr. Julie Rego

FOUNDERS: Dr. Julie Rego, Dr. Keith Kokseng, Dr. Sue Shapiro, Dr. Natalie Kretsch, Wendy Ordonez, Lauren Strunk, Cherilyn Bean, Dr. Manuel Varela, Dr. Jeannie Corredor.

• Florida Gulf Coast University (Dr. Julie Rego, Melody Schmaltz)
• University of Florida (Jennifer Stuart)
• Florida Atlantic University (Leonette Copeland, Cherilyn Bean, Laura Dipasquale, Jasmyn Irvin)
• Ringling College of Arts and Design (Cynthia Casanova)
• Florida International University (Justine Wallace)

• Florida State University (Brittany Benton)
• Florida Institute of Technology (Robyn Tapley)
• New College of Florida (Sarah Merritt)
• University of South Florida (Heather Walders, Rachel Gilmore, Kameron Talley)
• University of Central Florida (Vanessa Stein)

Together we can stop suicide

Suicide Prevention Starts With You.

It is our hopes that becoming familiar with the information and resources available on this website, you will feel supported, connected, find balance, warmth, and empowerment as you learn to identify and provide resources to individuals who may be at risk of suicide.  We strive to give you a better understanding of the impact suicide has and the tremendous power you can bring by talking openly about mental health issues.  We're so glad you're seeking out support, and sincerely hope that the resources you find here will you, your loved ones, friends, and community.