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The Full Story
Create a connected community. That was the goal of the MIND SPACE initiative.
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On behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, we were challenged to design a product, tool, or initiative that helps prevent targeted violence or terrorism. MIND SPACE sought to prevent school shootings by developing a destigmatizing mental health campaign that decreases social isolation, a risk factor identified by analysts of targeted violence.
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How do you destigmatize mental health and build a connected community?
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The core of the MIND SPACE project was the Wellness Pledge: an anonymous agreement to work together to create an environment where mental health stigma has no place through open conversations, understanding, and awareness. Bystander intervention is key to preventing school violence - that's why we wanted to spread this commitment to all students. We set up tables on campus, established a digital presence on Instagram, and held a kindness rock painting event to promote our campaign. Nearly 500 people pledged to support their peer's mental health at Iowa State.
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Beyond the pledge, we wanted to create a physical manifestation of the norm we wanted to promote: that it's okay to not be okay and to take care of yourself. We implemented a wellness room in Hamilton Hall where students could access a calm, private space to tend to their mental well-being for things such as telehealth appointments, de-stressing, and homework. The room also featured:
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Snacks and water
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An "in-use" sign to indicate the room's availability
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Bulletin board of physical and mental health resources from ISU
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Posters with QR codes linked to finding mental health counselors, bystander intervention training, and mental health support.
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MIND SPACE's innovative excellence granted us a top-three finalist position and an invitation to present our campaign to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the Invent2Prevent National Competition in Washington D.C. in January 2024. MIND SPACE won 1st Place and secured $10,000 - demonstrating how simple, practical solutions can make the biggest difference in preventing tragedies.
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Moving forward, MIND SPACE will be adopted by ISU Student Health & Wellness to open more wellness spaces on campus as part of a new campus-wide mental health destigmatizing campaign.