UNC-Chapel Hill Earns JED Campus Alumni Status
After a four-year partnership with the JED Campus program, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has achieved JED Campus alumni status, a recognition that reflects the institution's ongoing efforts to strengthen student mental health supports and foster a culture of care across campus.
The JED Campus initiative, run by The Jed Foundation, is a national collegiate mental health program that guides colleges and universities through a structured process of assessing and enhancing policies, systems, and programs related to mental health, suicide prevention, and substance misuse. The program emphasizes strategic planning, cross-campus collaboration, and data-driven evaluation tailored to each institution.
“JED gave Carolina a framework for bringing people together across campus to look closely at where we were strong, where we needed to grow, and what steps would make the biggest difference for students,” said Amy Johnson, co-chair of the JED Campus Task Force at Carolina and Special Assistant for Strategic Initiatives in Student Success.
A central component of the JED Campus framework was the Healthy Minds Study, a nationally recognized survey on college student mental health that was administered twice during the partnership - first in Fall 2022 to establish baseline data and again in Fall 2025 to measure progress. The survey results, combined with focus groups, a campus visit, and a comprehensive self-assessment informed the development and implementation of Carolina's JED Campus Strategic Plan.
In the years following the initial assessment, UNC advanced initiatives across multiple areas, including efforts to promote social connectedness, expand training and awareness efforts, strengthen communication about resources, and refine policies that support student success during times of crisis.
A notable effort that emerged through the JED Campus framework is the University’s Hope sign program, which places messages across campus to encourage help-seeking, reduce stigma and connect community members with mental health and crisis resources.
A final report documents Carolina’s work since launching the partnership in Spring 2022, including progress on the JED Campus Strategic Plan and a comparison of the two Healthy Minds Study administrations. The report notes positive movement on key indicators, including an increase in the share of students screening for positive mental health on the Flourishing scale (42% in Fall 2025 compared to 36% in Fall 2022) and a decrease in the share of students who agreed they feel isolated from campus life (17% compared to 28% at baseline). The report also emphasizes the importance of continued data collection and analysis to guide ongoing efforts.
The alumni designation signals that UNC will continue its well-being efforts beyond the formal partnership timeline, sustaining campus-specific systems and practices while maintaining momentum around student well-being.
“Reaching JED Campus Alumni status reflects the work of many campus partners and helps us keep the momentum of mental health efforts moving forward, reinforcing our culture of compassion and care,” Johnson said. "We're grateful to all who have supported the commitment toward mental health at Carolina."
Students are encouraged to engage with available supports and contribute to the ongoing culture of care. For anyone in crisis, UNC affirms that help is available — including 24/7 crisis lines and counseling resources — emphasizing that no one at Carolina has to navigate mental health challenges alone.
