Green Bandana Project

Health and Counseling Services
The Green Bandana Project is designed to help people who are experiencing mental illness become more aware of resources available.

The Green Bandana Project is a national initiative that exists in many forms. The Saint Mary’s Green Bandana Project conducted its first mental health training session with 55 attendees on Jan. 12, 2020.

Background

There are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses every year in the United States. Before graduation, one in 10 students will have considered suicide. Students aged 15-24 are in the highest risk group for a majority of mental illnesses, though one in four will not seek help or treatment. This trend must stop — and it starts with this project.

The original program was started by members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after the suicide of a professor’s son at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Your Role

Students who have completed a mental health training session will be given a green banana to attach to their backpacks — along with small tags containing resources such as on-campus services or off-campus organizations.

The bandana indicates that the student with it…

  • Is a trained and safe individual to approach with mental health-related issues
  • Knows where resources are
  • Can help connect others to various outlets to provide help and support in times of crisis.

Project Coordinators and Support

This project was produced by Samantha Borawski, Student Athlete Advisory Committee advisor; Justine Schultz, Saint Mary’s student-athlete, and Karen Hemker, director of Access Services. A huge thank you is also extended Connie Mettille for leading our mental health trainings.

The Green Bandana Project is supported by many individuals, departments and organizations across campus including:

  • Tim Gossen, Ed.D., vice president for Student Affairs and Student Life
  • Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)
  • Mental Health Task Force
  • Counseling and Health Services

Take The Pledge

Take the Saint Mary’s Green Bandana Project Pledge to show your support for people in our campus community dealing with mental health concerns.

Become an advocate for mental and emotional well-being and a role model for others.

The Pledge:

In taking this bandana and tying it to my backpack, I pledge:
I will listen if you need to talk to someone.
I will talk to someone if I need to be heard.
I will help you find someone to talk to when you need more support.
I will find someone to talk to when I need more support.

I will be accepting.
I will be honest.
I will see a person in need of support and not just their challenges.

With this pledge, I am declaring support for those dealing with challenges to their mental and emotional well-being.

You can talk to me. I want to help.

You are way too important to feel alone today.