The University of North Carolina at Wilmington announced on March 6 new efforts to support mental health among adults and youth through its outreach programs. The university reported that more than one in five adults in America experience a mental illness each year, and suicide remains the second leading cause of death among those ages 10–24.
The issue is significant as it affects both the local community and broader public health. UNCW has established services to address these needs, focusing on providing accessible care and prevention resources.
The General Psychotherapy and Assessment Clinic (GPAC), founded in 2018 after the launch of UNCW’s clinical psychology doctoral program, serves as a nonprofit training clinic offering affordable mental health treatment for adults in New Hanover County and surrounding areas. GPAC is partly supported by the Oaklawn Foundation. It offers low-cost services while providing practical training opportunities for doctoral students at UNCW. Since its founding, GPAC has served hundreds of individuals both on campus and within the community through therapy services and clinical assessments. The center also collaborates with groups such as the UNCW Counseling Center, Seahawk Mental Health and Performance Program, and local providers in Wilmington.
Kate Nooner, associate dean for faculty, policy, research and innovation at UNCW, is the founding director of GPAC. Kirsten Allen currently serves as director.
For youth mental health concerns—especially suicide risk—Deborah Tyndall from the School of Nursing is working with school districts to improve prevention efforts via school nurses. Research funded by the National Association of School Nurses found that although school nurses are often trusted by students seeking help, they are frequently not included in formal suicide prevention systems within schools.
This research led to a partnership with Nash County Public Schools and Craven County Public Schools to pilot SAFE-SN (Screen, Assess, Facilitate and Engage-School Nurse), an intervention designed to train nurses in identifying students who may be at risk for suicide. The project recently received approximately $50,000 from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to support its first pilot phase across both districts. Local leaders such as Debra Terrell from Nash County Schools and Luanne Forsyth from Craven County are working with UNCW researchers on implementation.
“Our hope is that SAFE-SN will serve as a model that can grow beyond these districts,” Tyndall said.
