While colleges and universities must prepare for incidents of student violence, they should recognize that suicide and self-injurious behavior are “much larger public-health problems on campuses,” according to a manual released last week by the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit suicide-prevention group.

“In most situations, keeping students safe, protecting students’ rights, and promoting the [colleges’] educational mission are complementary goals,” says the guide, which was prepared by legal experts and mental-health professionals.

The guide presents answers to more than two dozen questions about the legal and ethical issues colleges face when dealing with distressed students. Those questions include: What are unreasonable accommodations for a disability? Is it legal to use a behavioral contract with a student who has a disability? How should Web-based screening and counseling be provided?

Called “Student Mental Health and the Law,” the guide also includes several “good practice” recommendations. It urges colleges to develop leave-of-absence protocols, to offer insurance with mental-health coverage, and to avoid zero-tolerance policies that require automatic dismissals for students who attempt suicide.

“There’s this volume of misinformation that impacts peoples’ handling of distressed students,” said Joanna Locke, a consultant for the foundation. “This document was developed to explain where the law ends and good practices begin.” —Eric Hoover