Rationale:
The C-SPF-PFS Student Leaders gathered information regarding their campus’ policies, resources, prevention efforts, student organizations, etc. This information was reviewed and used for a SWOT analysis. Data collected and identified in the SWOT indicated a trend in the use of stigmatizing language on websites.
- The student leaders noted that on-campus mental health provider pages or prevention programming websites used language like “substance abuse” instead of non-stigmatizing language like substance use, substance misuse, and substance use disorder.
Goal: To reduce stigma of substance use/misuse among higher education students by eliminating barriers, advocating for change, and increasing awareness.
Objectives:
- Review organization’s websites and/or social media sites, per their request, to look for stigmatizing language within their content and content that is linked on their page.
- Reduce the use of stigmatizing language on websites and social media sites.
- Bring awareness about stigmatizing language to those who publish websites/social media posts by providing recommendations for best practices.
- Designate websites and/or social media sites as Stigma Free by providing a digital badge that they can display on their websites/pages/social media platforms.
- Compile a list of designated stigma free websites that can be accessed to help eliminate barriers to resources.
C-SPF-PFS Initiative Student Leaders are trained in:
- Stigma and Language (1.5 hours)
- Prevention Intensive Skills (6 hours)
- Prevention 101 (1.5 hours)
- Frameworks (6 hours)
- Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards in Behavioral Health (1.5 hours)
- Stigma 101: Addressing and Responding to a Universal Barrier to Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment (1 hour)
Process
- We will offer this service to our partner organizations via e-mail and/or social media.
- If an organization would like their site reviewed, they will fill out a request form.
- The PD will approve request and assign the review to at least 2 C-SPF-PFS Student Leaders.
- C-SPF Student Leaders will submit their review and findings to the PD and Epi for approval.
- Findings and recommendations will be sent to the organization.
- Organizations will also be sent resources and info-graphs on stigma free language.
- Organizations will be given a two-week or one-month time period(whichever they choose) to make any changes to their website and/or social media that they asked us to review.
- After the two-week or one-month time period, the same C-SPF Student Leaders will review the site again to be sure that the recommendations were followed.
- Upon completion of the recommendations, we will issue the organization a digital badge that they can display on their site.
- We will do follow-up reviews annually to be sure that the website continues to use stigma-free language.
Digital Badge
