There is a new referral resource, The Student Well-Being Advisory Team (SWAT) available for faculty and staff who may want consultation regarding a student they might have concerns about.  Please check out the SWATsite for further information: http://www.wsc.ma.edu/swat/index.html.

Faculty are in a unique position to help students in distress. Students hold professors in high esteem and therefore, faculty are in the position to offer them the kind of advice and direction that they will consider carefully. During the process of teaching or advising, you may observe students showing signs of distress. Since the advent of electronic mail, an increasing number of faculty finds themselves the recipients of lengthy and often disturbing messages. If you find yourself in the position of receiving personal information from students, they most likely view you as a compassionate and respectful listener. Faculty, for the most part, are not trained counselors, and even if they are, do not function in that role as professors due to the ethical mandates that discourage dual-role relationships. The challenge for most faculty is to define the most appropriate ways to help a distressed student. The following information is designed to assist faculty in making those choices.

Signs and Symptoms Warning of Student Distress:

• Excessive procrastination and poorly prepared work, especially if inconsistent with previous work
• Infrequent class attendance with little or no work completed
• Unusual dependency: hanging around or making excessive demands for contact outside of normal periods of association
• Listlessness or frequently falling asleep in class
• Repeated requests for special consideration
• Marked changes in personal hygiene
• High levels of irritability, including unruly, aggressive, violent, or abrasive behaviors
• Inability to make decisions despite your repeated efforts to clarify or encourage
• Excessive weight gain or loss
• Normal emotions that are displayed to an extreme degree or for a prolonged period of time: for example, tearfulness or nervousness
• Impaired or garbled speech and disjointed thinking*
• Threats to others*
• Reference to suicide as a current option*
• Bizarre behavior that is obviously inappropriate, such as talking to "invisible people" *

  *Refer to the Counseling Center immediately

"How can I assist the student who might be reluctant to seek counseling?"

1. Hand them a Counseling Center brochure and direct them to the section explaining the Center's policy of strict confidentiality
2. Remind them that services are available to them at no cost
3. If the student doesn't think his/her concerns are at the point of needing counseling, remind them that counseling can help prevent one's problems from reaching crisis proportions-the mere fact that one is seeking counseling doesn't mean one is in bad shape or "crazy"
4. Acknowledge, validate, and discuss the student's real fears and concerns about seeking help
5. Emphasize counseling as an empowering tool of change for those who choose to use it

"How can I help a student make an appointment at the Counseling Center?"

Offer the use of your phone for the student to call and make an appointment. Consider making the call for the student if the student wishes for you to do so while in your presence. Taking the responsibility for making an appointment for a student in any other way may discourage the student from taking responsibility for making changes in his life. If you feel the situation is an emergency, call the Counseling Center, identify yourself, and inform the secretary of the student's need to be seen immediately, if possible. If a counselor is available, walk the student over to the Center. The Counseling Center makes it a priority to see immediately any student in crisis. Other than for crisis/emergency situations, the Counseling Center makes every attempt to schedule appointments for students within a week's time. Students who request to be seen by a specific individual may need to wait longer.

Once a student becomes a client at the Counseling Center, the terms of confidentiality apply fully. Unless, the student signs a Consent for Release of Information, the Counseling Center may release no further information about the student. That means you, as the referral source, will not be able to obtain any further information about the student after admission occurs. The terms of client confidentiality are in accordance with the Massachusetts's General Laws and with the ethical/professional mandates of the licensing boards governing the practices of all licensed professionals providing services in the Counseling Center.

"What if the student resists or refuses to seek counseling?"

Unless the student is at risk for harm to self or others, counseling remains a voluntary option for students. Despite every effort on your part to facilitate a referral, the student may choose not to follow through on your suggestion that they seek counseling. If you find yourself in this situation, continue to express your belief that they could benefit from counseling, and keep your offer of help available to the student. Document the whole process for your personal files should you need to verify your assistance to this student in the future. If a student is at risk for harm to self or others, you must refer that student to the Counseling Center ASAP! If the student is with you, tell the student that you will arrange for him to be seen ASAP by a counselor. If the student leaves with the intent to disregard your referral, you should call Public Safety X5262 for assistance. They are authorized to place the student in custody for assessment by the Counseling Center or the Westfield Crisis Assessment Team. If you believe a student is at risk, but are unaware of his current whereabouts, call Public Safety who will then notify the appropriate personnel in order to facilitate an assessment.

"What if I need consultation regarding a student about whom I may have concerns?"

The Counseling Center is available for consultation to faculty and staff. If you have concerns about any student, you may seek consultation by phone or in person. We will seek to assist you while asking you to keep in mind that without their written consent, we may not provide you with any specific information about students who might be clients of the Counseling Center.

Counseling Center Staff: Lammers Hall Annex, X5790

Tammy Bringaze, Ph.D., N.C.C., L.P.C., Director
Suzanna C. Adams, M.A., N.C.C., L.M.H.C., Associate Director
Brian Cahillane, J.D., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Asst. Director, Substance Abuse Specialist, Co-Coordinator of FYE
JoAnn Churchill, M.A., N.C.C., L.M.H.C., Staff Associate
Mary Ann Roussi, M.Ed., Secretary