Identifying and Responding to Students Of Concern: A Guide for MCLA Faculty and Staff

1. Identifying and Responding to Students Of Concern:A Guide for MCLA Faculty and Staff Presented By: Deb Foss, PhD Associate Dean, Advising Services Director, Center for Student Success and Engagement Heidi Riello, LICSW Director of Counseling Services

2. Learning Objectives • Raise awareness of national trends related to college mental health • Raise awareness of warning signs that a student may be in distress • Introduce strategies on referring a student in distress to appropriate campus resource • Know what campus resources are available

3. National Trends ACHA 2010 (Spring) • 30.7% felt so depressed they found it difficult to function • 85.2% felt overwhelmed • 80.1% felt exhausted • 56.4% felt lonely • 60.7% felt very sad • 48.4% felt overwhelming anxiety • 38.2% felt overwhelming anger • 45.6% thought things were hopeless • 6.2% seriously considered suicide • 1.3% attempted suicide • Students diagnosed with depression changed from 10.3% in 2000 to 14.9% in 2004 to 16% in 2005 to 14.8% in 2006 to 16% in 2007 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment: Reference Group Executive Summary Spring 2010. Baltimore: American College Health Association; 2010.

4. National Trends (cont’d) • 14% of college students have been treated for depression before entering college. • 27% of 18-24 year-olds have a diagnosable mental illness. (National Alliance on Mental Illness) • Odds are now 50-50 that a student entering college will become depressed or experience some other problem during their college years. (Kadison & Geronimo, 2004)

5. MCLA Counseling Services Trends

6. MCLA Counseling Services Trends

7. MCLA Counseling Services Trends

8. Why the Increase in Problems? • More stressful environments • More pressure to succeed • Poor coping skills • Less stigma around mental health issues • More treatments available • Afraid to ask for help • Avoidance

9. As a faculty or staff member, you are in a unique position to recognize behavior changes that characterize an emotionally troubled student and to respond in a helpful manner.

10. Warning Signs of a Student Who May Be in Distress Academic: • Absence from class or failure to turn in work • Increased dependence on a faculty/staff member (e.g. making numerous appointments, hanging around your office after class) • Excessive procrastination • Marked decline in quality of course work, class participation, quality of papers, or test results • Repeated requests for special consideration • Repeated confiding in faculty/staff about personal problems • Worrisome or unusually personal content presented verbally or in written assignments • Behavior that regularly disrupts class • Complaints from other students about the student in question • Repeated lateness to class • Falling asleep in class, chronic fatigue, low energy

11. Warning Signs of a Student Who May Be in Distress Behavioral: • Significant change in physical appearance (e.g. poor grooming or hygiene, excessive change in weight) • Excessive energy, nervousness, excessive worry (e.g. loud tone of voice, high level of activity, rapid speech) • In ability to focus in a conversation or activity • Attention or memory difficulties • Thinking or speech that is disorganized, difficult to follow, or aggressive • Strong mistrust of other people • Violent or aggressive outbursts • Irritable, sad, or depressed mood • Reference to suicide or homicide (verbally or written communication; direct or indirect) • Threatening to others • Isolation from others • Inappropriate responses and/or display of intense emotion • Slurred speech, unsteady gate, or other indications of substance use

12. Warning Signs of a Student Who May Be in Distress Student’s Experience (what is reported to you): • Changes in eating or sleeping patterns • Excessive alcohol/drug use and/or increase in substance use • Tearfulness, irritability, excessive sadness • Isolating or increased anti-social behaviors • Engaging in high risk behaviors (e.g. driving recklessly, engaging in risky sexual behavior, thrill seeking) • Loss of interest in activities • Difficulty concentrating or feeling motivated • Feeling helpless or hopeless • High anxiety or restlessness • Suicidal or homicidal thinking or behavior

13. Making a Referral • If at any time you feel unsafe or feel the student is so distressed that s/he may be unsafe to him/herself or others, contact Public Safety at Extension 5100.

14. Making a Referral • If the student is open to having a conversation and you feel comfortable, suggest in a gentle, caring, and non-judgmental manner that s/he may benefit from a meeting at Counseling Services. • Specifically state why you are concerned and what you have observed (e.g. “I’ve noticed that you seem very distracted in class. How is everything going?”) • Reinforce that these are the types of issues that Counseling Services is designed to help students with. • Remind that meetings are free to registered students and confidential – even to you. • Inform the student that counseling does not impact or influence one’s academic records

15. Making a Referral • Offer to call Counseling Services right from your office to schedule an appointment. You may also walk a student to Counseling Services to show your support. • Consult with Counseling Services, Center for Student Success and Engagement/Advising Services, the Dean of Students, colleagues, or others as needed. • Respect your own limits and availability and trust your instincts regarding the need for additional help.

16. “Student-At-Risk” Referral Card • Referral system for faculty and staff offered through the Center for Student Success and Engagement/Advising Services for students who are having academic difficulties • Missing classes • Failing to complete assigned work • Seeming isolated from peers and campus life • Fill out referral card and/or email (“Advising” or “Success” in First Class) or call the office and speak with us at Ext. 5400 • CSSE staff will then contact student to let him/her know that a caring individual has referred them to us and we will offer whatever support/assistance we can.