News at 4Cs

Cape Cod Community College President John Cox Recognized at State House for Work in Suicide Prevention, Wellness

Cape Cod Community College President Dr. John Cox was recognized at the Massachusetts State House last week for his work in leading mental health awareness at the College and his support of suicide prevention efforts. Alongside several other recipients, the award came from the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) at their “Leadership in Suicide Prevention” ceremony.

With a rise in need for mental health services to support academic success, President Cox has supported a significant growth in services and attention to wellness at the College. Working in support of Dr. Maura Weir, the College’s Director of Student Wellness, and Christine McCarey, Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Wellness, the College has formed a cross-campus, multidisciplinary team to support students at every step of their academic journey.

“I am humbled by this award from the MCSP and thank them for acknowledging the work that so many have contributed to within our College community,” said Dr. Cox. “Our mission at Cape Cod Community College is to provide pathways to brighter futures through the life changing power of higher education. To do that, we must recognize the needs of our students. They have made it clear that quality wellness services are a necessity for their success. Led by the incomparable Dr. Weir and our Wellness team, we are always working to support that need and will continue to education others on behavioral health and suicide prevention. I’m very proud of the work we have accomplished, but we know there’s always more to be done.”

With a Student Wellness office located on campus that is staffed with licensed mental health professionals, the college became the first Massachusetts community college identified as a JED Campus in 2018. In the past several years 4Cs has trained more than 100 faculty and staff in suicide prevention, bystander training, mental health first aid, crisis intervention, and has launched a campus-wide peer education training program, an “Active Minds” national chapter, and a “Collegiate Recovery Program.” This past September, the college hosted the first ever Suicide Prevention Summit in the region and partnered with local coalitions to host events for National Survivors of Suicide Day, Suicide Prevention Day, and World Mental Health Day.

“Across the country, colleges and universities are seeing a rise in the need for consistent, professional, and available mental health services for students,” said Christine McCarey. “We are fortunate to have a team that has worked so passionately to address these needs at 4Cs. It has allowed us to become a leader in Massachusetts in Student Wellness, suicide prevention, resiliency, and crisis intervention.”

The Cape Cod Community College Student Wellness Office offers personalized clinical and case support for students, as well as connections to 24/7 support lines through “TalkCampus,” an international network for peer support that can be accessed via text or phone any time from any device. The College also maintains a Behavioral Intervention Team consisting of mental health professionals, faculty members, emergency personnel, and staff to manage student issues on campus using an evidence-based, solutions-focused approach to case management.