JED Campus
JED Campus at SHSU
Sam Houston State University became a JED Campus starting August 2024. As part of JED Campus, SHSU is engaging in a 4-year partnership with the Jed Foundation to evaluate and strengthen our programs and systems that support student mental health. SHSU joins nearly 500 campuses across the nation who are proud members of the JED Campus program!
Strategic task force members
Sam Houston State University has developed an interdisciplinary, campus-wide task force that represents students, faculty, and staff. The task force meets regularly to assess, support, and implement programs, policy, and system improvements.
Co-Chairs:
- Lindsey Lopez, Director, Student Wellness
- Dr. Maribeth Jorgensen, Assistant Dean for Research and Faculty Development, Professor, Counselor Education
Members:
- Dr. Robert Williams, Medical Director, Student Health Center
- Kodie Henscheid, Director, Counseling Center
- Kyle Ashton, Director, Residence Life
- Lisa Shen, Librarian, Associate Professor, Newton Gresham Library
- Dr. Meredith Conrey, Director, CARE Network
- Chris Thompson, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Athletics
- Jalon Berry, Executive Director, Strategic Retention Initiatives
- Dr. Lonnie Booker, Director, Emergency Management
- Luis Grado, Director, Environmental Health & Safety
- Emilee White, Assistant Director of Content & Social Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
- Dr. Karen Nelson, Assistant Professor, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Dr. Kelly Zinn, Clinical Professor, School of Nursing
- Dr. Helen Berg, Associate Dean, College of Education
- Dr. Li-Jen Lester, Associate Dean, College of Science, Engineering, and Technology
- Dr. Trevor England, Associate Professor, College of Business Administration
- Dr. Jane Daquin, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice
- Dr. Diane Stoebner-May, Professor, Psychology
- Adeli 'Minet' Cortez, Student, Doctorate - Counselor Education
JED Campus Subcommittees
SHSU's JED Campus Task Force developed 6 subcommittees based on the action items listed in the JED strategic plan. Committee members and charge items are listed below.
Members: Lindsey Lopez (chair), Maribeth Jorgensen, Kyle Ashton, Lisa Shen, Minet Cortez, Helen Berg, Diane Stoebner-May
Charge Items: Develop new policies and/or update existing policies as identified in the strategic plan. Create language for a medical leave of absence policy. Research and develop postvention plan. Work with the Research and Grant subcommittee for any data gathering needs.
Members: Maribeth Jorgensen (Chair), Meredith Conrey, Nesi Lillard, Kodie Henscheid, Robert Williams, Sofia Armenta
Charge items: Establish coordination of care across multiple departments. Develop plan to implement screenings for substance misuse and mental health issues outside of clinical appointments. Research and develop gatekeeper trainings for faculty/staff. Research local recovery supports and create MOU’s for students seeking treatment. Work with the Research and Grant subcommittee for data gathering needs.
Members: Luis Grado (Chair), Lonnie Booker, Kyle Ashton, Lisa Shen
Charge Items: Facilitate environmental scan by connecting with appropriate campus resources and address any issues related to means safety. Develop a list of sites on campus that need hope signage. Develop a written plan to reduce anchor points in residence halls.
Members: Sinem Akay-Sullivan (Chair), Jalon Berry, Brandon Cooper, Li-Jen Lester
Charge Items: Assist other subcommittees related to any data collection needs, survey development, etc. Identify grants to support JED Task Force missions. Apply for internal SHSU grant to support the gatekeeping training and other needs of the JED Task Force.
Members: Karen Nelson (Chair), Kelly Zinn
Charge Items: Review JED strategic plan and identify action items needed for the SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine & SHSU School of Nursing. Develop and implement processes within these programs.
Members: Emilee White (Chair), Lindsey Lopez, Maribeth Jorgensen
Charge Items: Create and share with the committee co-chairs a marketing plan for regular dissemination of information about the JED Task Force happenings, needed information for mass communications, etc.
JED Campus in Action
Sam Houston State University has completed the first two years of the four-year JED Campus program. Click each item below to learn more about the work being done by SHSU's JED Campus strategic task force.
In the first year of the JED Campus program, the task force focused on gathering data through three different assessment strategies:
- SHSU partnered with JED Campus and the University of Michigan to launch the Healthy Minds Study (HMS) to a random sample of 12,000 student Bearkats in Fall 2024.
- SHSU's JED Campus advisor hosted a student focus group in Spring 2025 to obtain qualitative feedback from students.
- The SHSU JED Campus strategic task force conducted a SWOT analysis of all programs, services, policies and procedures related to mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention.
Additionally, SHSU's JED Campus advisor had an on-site visit with the strategic task force, as well as executive campus leadership, to review data, tour campus, and brainstorm strategic priorities. The task force received the initial strategic plan from JED and met over the Summer of 2025 to determine action items and priorities.
In the second year of the JED Campus program, the task force has been working on development and implementation of initiatives as outlined by the strategic plan.
- PAWS for Mental Health: This is a campus-wide campaign that focuses on normalizing conversations around mental health, increasing help-seeking behaviors, and providing access to resources. The campaign has rolled out across campus, starting Fall 2025, and will continue as we move into the next academic year. You can find the campaign on our new PAWS for Mental Health webpage!
- PAWS for Mental Health Fact Sheet: This is a new resource available to students and their families/supporters who are interested in the mental health services provided by SHSU! This resource will be provided widely at New Student Orientation, as well as highlighted on the new PAWS for Mental Health webpage.
- Medical Leaves of Absence (MLOA): SHSU wants to support students who need to take a break from their studies to seek treatment or rehabilitation for mental or physical health conditions. The current Resignation Policy is under revision to include a section focused on Medical Leaves of Absence. This section offers wraparound support for students needing to take an MLOA. The policy is currently under review with Faculty Senate.
- Faculty/Staff Mental Health Training and Resources: Beginning this Summer, the Clinical Services subcommittee will begin meeting to develop a 45-minute online training for faculty and staff focused on how to recognize and address student mental health concerns. This online training will be available in Talent Management once completed. Additionally, we have created a new 2-page resource for faculty and staff called 'The Orange Folder' initiative that will be available later this summer!
Our task force will be meeting this summer to review its achievements, as well as outline and identify new priorities of focus going into Year 3. Those action items will be shared here once they have been identified, so be sure to check back later this summer!
Healthy Minds Study data:
- 87% agree that students’ mental and emotional well-being are priority at SHSU
- 82% agree that if they feel sad or depressed, they tend to keep those feelings to themselves
- 89% indicated that if they needed to seek professional help for their mental or emotional health, they would know where to go on campus
Focus group data:
- SHSU is effective at connecting students through programming; however, more programming within their specific fields of study would be beneficial to increase social connectedness.
- Staff and faculty are willing to work with students to help them when they indicate they are struggling.
- SHSU has a variety of resources available to students, but it can sometimes be difficult to navigate them.