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  • Case Study: Nationwide Sorority

    This case study explores the impact of SOS’s suicide prevention training on over 6,000 sorority members across 140 campuses during one academic year.

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Empowering Sorority Members to Prevent Suicide Through Training

In response to the growing need for mental health support among college students—particularly those from marginalized communities—a nationwide sorority partnered with SOS Signs of Suicide to implement a virtual suicide prevention training program, SOS Signs of Suicide for Higher Ed.

Although suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth aged 15–24 in the U.S., prevention programs like SOS for Higher Ed are extremely effective. College students face unique stressors such as isolation, academic pressure, and lack of support systems, making campuses critical environments for suicide prevention. Marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ and BIPOC students, are disproportionately affected.  

Despite the urgency, few colleges have robust suicide prevention programs, and postvention (community support after a suicide occurs) is often overlooked entirely. Moreover, with the discontinuation of the widely used program Kognito, many schools that had previously offered training found themselves with a pressing need for an accessible, effective training option that could be deployed at scale. 

The Solution: SOS for Higher Ed

SOS Signs of Suicide has decades of experience delivering high-quality, evidence-based suicide prevention education in middle and high schools. 

Building on that foundation and its mission to bring life-saving skills to as many individuals as possible, SOS developed SOS for Higher Ed Students, a brief, interactive, online training designed by clinicians specializing in trauma and suicide. The program teaches participants to use the ACT model:  

  • Acknowledge signs of suicide 
  • Show you Care 
  • Tell them how to access help 

The training includes educational content, student interviews, and interactive decision-making scenarios. It was offered asynchronously to accommodate busy student schedules.

Training 140 Campuses and over 6,000 Sorority Members

A national sorority integrated the training into its programming, reaching members across 140 campuses. Of the 7,005 participants who began the training, 6,323 completed both the pretest and posttest assessments. The evaluation used the Gatekeeper Behavior Scale to measure changes in: 

  • Likelihood to intervene 
  • Preparedness to respond 
  • Self-efficacy in helping distressed peers 

Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements across all measured areas. Participants reported increased confidence and preparedness to support peers in distress. The asynchronous format allowed broad participation with minimal time commitment (students complete the course in roughly 30 minutes), making it ideal for large-scale deployment. 

The training fostered a culture of mental health awareness and peer support within sorority communities. While not a substitute for professional care, the program empowered students to recognize signs of distress and refer peers to appropriate resources—an essential complement to busy campus counseling centers. 

Scalable Success with SOS

SOS for Higher Ed proved to be a scalable, effective tool for suicide prevention in college settings.

Its success within a national sorority demonstrates the potential for similar interventions to be adopted across other student organizations and institutions. 

Preview SOS for Higher Ed

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