Bucknell University has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) as one of the first 15 postsecondary institutions across the state designated as a PA CARES campus for its commitment to promoting student mental health and preventing suicide.

The announcement was made May 27 at a ceremony at Temple University, where Gina Bavero, director of Bucknell's Counseling & Student Development Center, and Dave Clark, associate director and clinical director, accepted the honor on the University's behalf.

PA CARES — which stands for Connect, Assess, Respond, Encourage, Support — is a new recognition program that acknowledges colleges and universities that have implemented comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans in accordance with Act 110. The goal is to ensure students have access to the resources, support and crisis services they need to succeed personally and academically.

"There are specific criteria that institutions must meet for certification, including ensuring that students, faculty and staff all know where to go when someone is in crisis," Bavero says. "The Student Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Plan on our website is just one of the tools we use to help guide our campus community."

Since joining Bucknell in January, Bavero has prioritized campus-wide mental health preparedness. One of her first actions was certifying all clinical staff members as QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention instructors. QPR is a nationally recognized, evidence-based training program that teaches individuals how to recognize suicide warning signs, ask direct questions and refer someone to appropriate care.

"Our goal is to make this training available to everyone, not just within the center but across the entire campus," Bavero says. "We've already conducted trainings this year and plan to offer four to five more sessions this summer."

To qualify as a PA CARES campus, institutions must meet multiple benchmarks, including 24/7 access to trained mental health professionals, proactive outreach to students about available support services, a public-facing prevention plan and coordinated postvention strategies. The Jed Foundation, a national leader in student mental health, helped establish the certification criteria and has applauded Pennsylvania's efforts to support learners statewide.

"This is not just about the Counseling Center — it's a shared commitment across our campus," says Bavero. "It's about equipping faculty, staff and peers with the knowledge and tools to support one another and to create a culture of care."

Bucknell's Counseling & Student Development Center employs 10 clinicians and two staff members dedicated to providing high-quality, confidential care to students. The center's work is integrated with broader campus initiatives to foster resilience, build community and ensure every student has access to the support they need.