Referral Guide

College life can be a satisfying and exciting experience: new challenges, friends, and ideas. But for others, it can be a difficult adjustment and sometimes even frightening and overwhelming. Old solutions to new problems do not always work, and they need help finding alternatives. Recently, there have been many studies reporting that more students are coming to college with significant clinical symptoms.

Often, it is you, the faculty, staff and residence hall personnel, who provide the link between students and the Counseling Center. Following are some warning signs that may indicate a student is in distress.

• Warning Signs
• Guides for Interaction
• Referral Process
• Services
• Confidentiality
• Contact
• Emergencies
• Suicide Prevention

Warning Signs

Sudden change in academic performance, such as deteriorating class work, decrease in class attendance, inappropriate or disruptive behavior, papers with themes of distress

Dependency, the student hangs around you or makes excessive appointments to see you

Physical changes, especially sudden weight loss or gain, deteriorating personal grooming, extreme fatigue lasting beyond a day or two

Withdrawal and isolation from others

Inability to make decisions despite your attempts to clarify and encourage

Bizarre or strange behavior which is obviously inappropriate, e.g. talking to “invisible people”

Euphoria or non-stop talking

Overreaction to criticism or mistakes

Guides for Interactions

Talk to the student in private

Listen carefully

Show concern and interest

Avoid criticizing or being judgmental

Involve yourself only as much as you feel comfortable; be careful about becoming overly involved

If the student resists help, you may want to consult with one of the psychologists in the Counseling Center to discuss your concerns.

Referring the student to the Counseling and Human Development Center

Suggest that the student call the Counseling and Human Development Center to make an appointment.  It is best to have them do it in your presence.  Sometimes, if you are especially concerned about the student, it may be useful for you to walk the student over to the Center.

If the situation is an emergency  call the Counseling Center yourself at 7-5223 and tell the receptionist (while the student is in your office) that the student needs an appointment immediately.  In this case always try to walk over with the student. If the emergency is after hours call one of these numbers.

Confidentiality

All information is treated professionally and confidentially. No information is released to anyone, in or out of the University without written consent of the client. All other exceptions to confidentiality will be made clear to the client upon coming to the Center.