Ramapo College of New Jersey marked National Suicide Prevention Month by raising awareness around resources, support and the importance of ensuring every community member feels connected.

September 30, 2025

by Lauren Ferguson

Connection is prevention.

That is the message that was shared at Ramapo College of New Jersey throughout September for National Suicide Prevention Month.

“The key message I want students to understand is help is available at Ramapo College. Please do not struggle in silence,” said Dr. Judy Green, director of Ramapo’s Center for Health and Counseling Services. “Whoever your trusted professional on campus is, we encourage you to share with them what you are going through and trust that they care about you.”

Green spoke at a proclamation-reading ceremony in front of the historic Havemeyer Arch on Ramapo’s welcoming Mahwah, NJ, campus. The event was held to recognize National Suicide Prevention Month and raise awareness around resources available to support mental health at Ramapo.

“My message for faculty and staff is, please do not be afraid to ask if you are concerned about a student. People who are struggling can be withdrawn, they may miss class or meetings, they may increase their substance use, or they may express a sense of hopelessness,” Green said. “One of the biggest myths surrounding suicide is that people believe that if they ask the question, ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ it will put the idea in someone’s head. In fact, it is the exact opposite. By asking, you are connecting.”

Dr. Judy Green, director of the Center for Health and Counseling Services, told people help is available.

At the ceremony, brave students shared their mental health struggles and the personal support they received to keep going. Roadrunners also shared readings and poems to reflect their journeys.

“We must always remind ourselves that we are not alone,” Ramapo College President Dr. Cindy Jebb said at the ceremony, adding that her own life, like so many others, has been impacted by suicide. “Among our greatest responsibilities as humans and as members of a community is to ask for help, to provide support to those who need it and to destigmatize mental health.”

Jebb said the ceremony was an opportunity to remember the lives that have been lost, and also gather “with the knowledge that we have the power for change. The more connected we are, the more we seek to understand one another and break down silos, the better we can prevent suicide on multiple levels.”

Megan Johnston, health educator at Ramapo, said that everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention. Efforts to ensure belongingness and that people’s basic needs are met can help, she said. The goal is for the college to have a “thriving structural ecosystem” including spaces like the First-Generation Student Center and the Veteran’s Lounge and Advisement Center – to support students.

“Suicide prevention is ultimately all of us working together to build a society rooted in community care and connection,” Johnston said.

Glow for Hope featured a vigil followed by a mental-health glow party.

There are many resources available at Ramapo. Through Counseling Services, students have access to free short-term counseling. Students can make an appointment, or stop by during drop-in hours on weekdays from 1-3 pm to discuss specific concerns. All counselors are trained in working with survivors of trauma, those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and students of color. Counselors are available to support students with identity-based concerns, such as an LGBTQIA+ liaison, first-generation student counselor and a multicultural specialist who speaks Spanish. There are also counselors licensed to treat substance abuse disorders, as well as a Roadrunner Collegiate Recovery Program, a community for students who are curious about or in recovery from substance use disorder.

Ramapo also offers Togetherall, a peer-to-peer online platform that allows students to access an anonymous and safe community to share feelings and give or get wellness support. In addition, crisis intervention is available for those experiencing a psychological emergency. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For faculty, staff and students looking for ways to help, Counseling Services offers two evidence-based training options, Campus Connect, which is in-person, and Ask, Listen Refer, which is brief and online.

“Students are juggling a lot,” Johnston said. “Many of them might be navigating financial concerns, identity concerns, just navigating the college process. College can be stressful, but it can also be really supportive, so the more resources we have to build that supportive community, the more students won’t have those adverse consequences and increased levels of stress, they can thrive.”

During September, Ramapo held a number of events to promote hope such as Glow for Hope, featuring a vigil followed by a mental-health glow party, and Words for Hope, where students had access to therapy dogs and chalked hopeful messages throughout the Grove. Roadrunners also signed up to participate in the Bergen County Out of the Darkness Walk to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Therapy animals visited campus as part of Words for Hope.

If you are in crisis or worried about someone who is, help is available. From Monday through Friday from 8:30-4:30, Roadrunners may go to D-216 or call the Center for Health and Counseling Services at 201-684-7522 to be connected with an emergency on-call therapist. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency outside of those hours, call the office at 201-684-7522 and follow the prompt (“Press 2”) for immediate assistance. Alternatively, you may call or text “988” to be connected with an emergency counselor if you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. 988 is free and available 24/7/365. Those in distress may also call 911 or go to your local emergency room. Resources for faculty and staff to support students in distress are available online in Ramapo’s Red Folder.

For more resources, visit www.ramapo.edu/counseling/suicide-prevention.