Support Your Students: For Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff are regularly connecting with students, sometimes on a daily basis. As such, they're often the first to notice when a student is experiencing distress. We encourage you to connect with our team if you ever have concerns about a student's well-being.

Consultation

Consult hours are available by phone and or walk-in between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

CALL THE MAIN LINE: (740) 593-1616

Please be aware, we do not contact students as a result of a consultation. Counseling works best when it is sought voluntarily or at the advice of people they know. If you have concerns about a student, we encourage you to refer them to our services.

When a student is not willing or interested in seeking counseling services, you have the option to report those concerns to the Office of the Dean of Students.

Resources For Faculty and Staff When Concerned About a Student in Crisis

If you are with a student and the student is in crisis and needs to speak with a counselor (if the student is in imminent danger to themselves or someone else, call 911 or OUPD): 

• You may accompany the student to Hudson Health Center, 3rd floor to assist them in doing a drop-in appointment.  

• The student is not in imminent crisis or urgent need to speak with a counselor, encourage the student to seek services at CPS.  

• You may call CPS at 740.593.1616 to consult about a student 

• If you are meeting with a student virtually, please follow the instructions below to connect the student with CPS.  

When Remote

When a faculty or staff is meeting with a student virtually, a student may show signs of distress. If you are meeting with a student virtually, please follow the instructions below to connect the student with CPS:

Imminent Danger

If the student reports or shows signs of imminent danger to self or others get their location and call 911 or the Ohio University Police Department at 740.593.1911 (for students on the Athens campus). 

Acute Distress

If a student is not in imminent danger, but reports and or appears to be in acute distress (e.g., severely depressed or anxious), recommend the student to seek counseling services and help them to get connected with CPS: 

• Advise the student of your intent to facilitate a connection with our office while remaining engaged with the student via screen.  

• Instruct the student to contact CPS via phone at 740.593.1616 while still engaged remotely.  

• Once the student makes contact with our office via phone, you may end the remote connection with the student.  

• If you have information regarding the student or the situation that could be valuable to the clinician, you are encouraged to contact our office by phone.  

If you are uncertain about referring a student, place them on hold and call CPS at 740.593.1616 for recommendations. 

Mild Distress

In the event the student is presenting with mild distress and may benefit from talking to a counselor, provide information about our office, including the main phone line (740.593.1616) and the department website (www.ohio.edu/counseling).