Spelman College Joins the JED Campus Network

Multi-Year Partnership to Strengthen Wellness and Mental Health Resources on Campus

Spelman College is proud to announce that it recently became a member of The Jed Foundation’s JED Campus network, strengthening the College’s commitment to supporting student mental health and wellbeing. The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for the nation’s teens and young adults.

JED Campus is a signature program of The Jed Foundation designed to guide schools through a multi-year collaborative process that helps colleges strengthen student mental health systems, reduce substance misuse and prevent suicide. It provides a structured strategic planning process to assess current efforts, identify gaps and create a unified, campus-wide approach to wellness. 

“The JED Campus initiative helps us embed a culture of mental health, resilience and wellness into the very fabric of Spelman,” said Frances Cloud, director of the Counseling Center at Spelman. “It provides a framework to strengthen the support students need both inside and outside of the classroom, ensuring that the message of holistic care is not just spoken but practiced across policies, programs and campus partnerships.”

As part of this partnership, Spelman will be paired with a dedicated JED advisor for consultation, guidance and technical assistance throughout the program and beyond. Under the JED Campus initiative, mental health becomes a shared responsibility across Counseling, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Public Safety and other Spelman programs.

By supporting student well-being, JED helps address the unique mental health needs of marginalized students, including first-generation students and students of color.

“We want Spelman’s environment to serve as both a model and a reminder,” said Cloud. “Here, students can learn how to honor their whole selves, mind, body, and spirit, in ways that sustain them when they enter environments that may not always see them, think of them, or care for them.”

For more on The Jed Foundation and its impact, visit JEDcampus.org. For more information on mental health resources at Spelman, visit the Counseling Center.