The Suicide Prevention for College Students (SPCS) Gatekeepers Program is a 90-minute, evidence-based gatekeeper training designed specifically for college students, developed by licensed psychologists at Clover Educational Consulting Group (Clover). The SPCS Gatekeepers Program teaches students to recognize signs and symptoms associated with suicide risk and to support appropriate help-seeking behaviors. College students are the chosen audience for this program, as they are deeply rooted in the campus community and thus well-positioned to notice suicide warning signs in peers. With the right tools, student gatekeepers can intervene to help those at risk for suicide.

The SPCS Gatekeepers Program is divided into three phases. In phase one, the Information Phase, participants learn about statistics related to college students and suicide, common myths, risk factors, and warning signs for suicide. During phase two, the Skills Phase, participants learn to conduct a suicide risk assessment and are taught to utilize a decision tree to inform best next steps. In phase three, the Practice Phase, participants engage in role-plays to practice the skills they learned and receive feedback provided by the program facilitator. Across all phases, discussion and polling questions are used to encourage participant engagement. Each training is limited to 30 participants to maximize program benefits.

The SPCS Gatekeepers Program was developed and piloted in 2017. Following the training, student participants reported greater suicide prevention competence, endorsed fewer stigmatizing beliefs, and reported increased knowledge about suicide. High program acceptability scores across all items indicated that the program was well received (Ross et al., 2021). Since, three SAMHSA Mental Health Awareness Training Grants supported a large-scale dissemination effort. Outcomes replicated those of the pilot study at post-test and 12-week follow-up (Ross et al., 2023a), and almost half of participants reported supporting someone with a mental health concern post-training.

The SPCS Gatekeepers Program can be presented synchronously, either in-person or online (Ross et al., 2023b). All trainings are provided by licensed mental health professionals or individuals with detailed knowledge of campus mental health resources and referral processes.