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RROCS

Media and Mental Health Initiative

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What is RROCS?

The Reporting Responsibly On Campus Suicide (RROCS) Project aims to educate student journalists and readers on safe, responsible media messaging around mental health in campus settings in order to prevent media-influenced suicide contagion. The RROCS Guide, a youth-developed, evidence-based resource, offers guidelines and education for covering campus suicide and promoting wellness after a crisis. RROCS is based on the extensive recommendations developed by leading experts in the fields of suicide prevention, journalism, and mental health to help journalists cover suicide without substantially increasing the risk for suicidal behavior.

Why is it important?

Suicide is a leading cause of death among college students and concerns regarding mental health are growing. A phenomenon known as media-influenced suicide contagion is a particularly salient concern for campus newspapers. Student journalists play a unique role in covering mental health and suicide on their campus as they often function as the organ of the student community, not only reflecting sentiment on campus but also contributing to it.

What does the RROCS Guide Include?

Questions to consider when covering suicide on campus

What information should be shared, when and how?
How do you balance breaking the story with being accurate and empathetic?
How do you balance crisis coverage with regular coverage?

Considerations during the reporting and after publication

What should you consider when writing headlines?
How do you manage your own mental health as a reporter or editor covering suicide?
When and whom should you ask for support?

Covering campus mental health after crisis

Importance of covering stories of resiliency and recovery
How to advocate for campus resources

Download RROCS Guide (PDF)

RROCS Youth Advisory Group

Faria

Isabella

Malina

Nico

Rachel

Roz

Saisha

Sanjana

Shreya

Vihaan

RROCS Co-founders

Tammer Bagdasarian
Stanford University Class of 2024
The Stanford Daily, Former Editor

Georgia Rosenberg
Stanford University Class of 2024
The Stanford Daily, Former Editor

Savanna Stewart, MA
University of Michigan Law Student
The Stanford Daily, Former Editor

Emma Reid Talley
Stanford University Class of 2024
The Stanford Daily, Former Editor

Acknowledgements

Authors: Tammer Bagdasarian, Georgia Rosenberg, Savanna Stewart & Emma Talley
Written in collaboration with Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Media and Mental Health Initiative

To get in touch with the RROCS team or sign up to receive updates, visit our contact page.