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| State of Utah Presents SLCC with the Award for their Commitment to Suicide Prevention ** |
Salt Lake Community College’s Wellness program was recently recognized by the State of Utah for achieving an impressive milestone: training 1,000 SLCC community members in the suicide prevention program LiveOn. The program was launched at SLCC over three years ago in collaboration with the state of Utah with the goal of de-stigmatizing mental health. Since then, it has become a beacon of hope not only for the SLCC community but for all of Utah.
Prevention Campaign on SLCC Campus
Interested in bringing the LiveOn program to SLCC, Manager of Employee Wellness Christina McWhinnie, along with Preston Lindhardt, former SLCC Wellness Coordinator, met with folks from the state of Utah to learn more about the program and how it can be adopted for the Bruin community. After several meetings with the state of Utah and eLearning at SLCC, a LiveOn Canvas course was created, making it accessible to all members of the community: students, faculty, and staff.
Key People
Engaging, fostering a safe environment, and making a positive impact require a community, so congratulations are due to all the folks who have participated in the LiveOn program to help create a more supportive community at SLCC. The courageous team who built the program comprises Christina, who championed the program from its adoption; Eduardo Zaragoza and Bob Lyndsay (eLearning), who created and designed the Canvas course in collaboration with the state; and Whitney Ockey (Center for Health and Counseling).
“Having mental health struggles is nothing to be ashamed of, and the more we talk about it, the more we can learn and understand as a society.” — Christina McWhinnie, SLCC Employee Wellness Manager
The Why Behind the Program
“Suicide is the number one most preventable type of death,” says Christina, whose goal is to increase prevention by creating a more compassionate community and breaking down the stigmas surrounding the mental health issues that can lead to self-harm. “Having mental health struggles is nothing to be ashamed of, and the more we talk about it, the more we can learn and understand as a society,” says Christina.
The Thousand People Goal
In efforts to motivate the SLCC community to take part in the LiveOn project, Christina, along with Employee Wellness, designed a Level One program that encourages staff and faculty to take the course with a financial incentive. Many faculty members also began offering the LiveOn Canvas course as extra credit for their students, which helped meet the 1,000-trained people on LiveOn goal.
Enhancing Support Through QPR Training
Everything was running smoothly with the LiveOn program, and the SLCC Wellness team decided to take it a step further. Whitney Ockey (Center for Health and Counseling) and Christina attended training on Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), a suicide prevention program that teaches folks how to spot warning signs and act in that moment. QPR is also offered as an employee incentive, and it is recommended that staff and faculty take both courses to support the SLCC community better.
“QPR is like CPR, the more people are trained on it, the safer everyone is,” says Christina. The premise of QPR is to learn how to assist someone who is thinking of self-harm, such as listening, asking questions, and providing resources.
Moving Forward
“Our goal is to expand these initiatives across other colleges, emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness and resources,” shares Christina.
As the trailblazer in creating suicide prevention programs in higher education in Utah — and having reached the 1,000 people milestone — SLCC is inspiring other schools to join the effort. Starting in 2026, SLCC has been invited to meet with other schools to help them integrate the LiveOn program, helping their student body become more educated and prepared to support those in need.
Help is Available
For those folks who are struggling with mental health, there are resources available at SLCC to ensure that they can get the help needed. Below is a list of resources the SLCC community should know about for themselves or to help others:
24-Hour Community Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 9-8-8 (call or text)
SafeUT (use this link to download the messaging app or call 833-372-3335)
Call 911 If you or someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others.
**From left to right, the photo at the top of this article includes:
Tracy Gruber, Executive Director, Utah Dept. of Health & Human Services
Tim Sheehan, SLCC Vice President, Government and Community Relations
Eduardo Zaragoza, SLCC eLearning Team
Whitney Ockey, SLCC Center for Health & Counseling
DaSheek Akwenye, SLCC Center for Health & Counseling
Christina McWhinnie, SLCC Employee Wellness Manager
Chris Martin, SLCC Vice President, Finance & Administration
Bronwyn Deforest, SLCC Employee Wellness
Lyndsey Wilcken, SLCC Employee Wellness
Carol Ruddell, Suicide Prevention Programs at State of Utah
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