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. The Office of the Dean of Students can reach out directly to a student who shows signs of concern.
Support Your Students
Resources for Faculty & Staff
Support Your Students: For Faculty and Staff
As a faculty or staff member in university setting, you may connect with students regularly or even daily. You may be the first person to notice when a student is experiencing distress. Or, you may be the person they feel comfortable talking to and asking for help.
The Counseling and Psychological Services team is here to support you by offering resources, education and consultation, as needed, so that you feel more comfortable and confident supporting students and referring them to CPS for care.
How To Support a Student in Crisis
Imminent Danger
If a student is an imminent danger to themselves or someone else, call 911. If you are on Athens Campus, call the Ohio University Police Department at 740.593.1911.
Acute Distress
If you are with a student in crisis who is not an imminent danger but does have an urgent need to speak with a counselor:
- You may accompany the student to Hudson Health Center 3rd floor to assist them in doing a drop-in appointment.
- You may call CPS at 740.593.1616 to consult about a student.
After-hours, the student can call 740.593.1616 and press 1 to speak with a counselor (including evenings, weekends, and holidays).
Mild Distress
If you are with a student and the student is not an imminent danger and does not have an urgent need to speak with a counselor, encourage the student to seek services at CPS, provide our phone number (740.593.1616), and direct the student to our website.
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) or reports to have an urgent need to speak with a counselor, recommend that the student seek counseling services and help them connect with CPS:
- Advise the student of your intent to facilitate a connection with CPS while remaining engaged with the student via screen.
- Instruct the student to contact us 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 clinicians at CPS, you are encouraged to contact our office by phone.
If you are uncertain about referring a student, place them on hold and call CPS office for recommendations.
Mild Distress
In the event the student is presenting with mild distress and may benefit from talking to a counselor, but is not an imminent danger and does not have an urgent need to speak to a counselor, encourage the student to seek services at CPS, provide our phone number (740.593.1616), and direct the student to our website.
Resources for Faculty & Staff
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Crisis & Emergency Resources
A quick list of hotlines, text resources, and guidance on protecting oneself or a student.
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Suicide Prevention Education
Learn to identify warning signs of suicide, connect with someone at risk, and make referrals to campus resources.
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Outreach Programming
Outreach programming can include psychoeducational presentations, tabling events, and some interviews.
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Employee Health & Wellness Resources
Ensuring your own wellness is essential when caring for others. Review the resources available to all employees.
Sample Statements for Course Syllabi
For Athens Campus
Sample 1
Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) offers a variety of services for students’ mental health and emotional wellbeing. Please call 740.593.1616 or visit the CPS website for more information.
- CPS Emergency and Crisis Services: 740.593.1616, https://www.ohio.edu/counseling/services/crisis
- Lets’ Talk Hours (In-Person): Sunday to Friday, 5-10 p.m. in the Living Learning Center, Room 160, during Fall and Spring semesters
- Crisis Text Line (Free, 24/7, Confidential): Text “HOME” to 741-741
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
Sample 2
Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) can help students who are having difficulties managing stress, significant life events, relationship conflicts, or feeling sad and hopeless. CPS offers drop-in hours, Monday through Friday from 9:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Hudson Health Center, 3rd floor. You can also schedule an appointment by calling 740.593.1616 during business hours. During after-hours, weekends, and holidays, if you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call 740.593.1616 and press 1 to speak with a counselor.
- CPS Emergency and Crisis Services: 740.593.1616, https://www.ohio.edu/counseling/services/crisis
- Lets’ Talk Hours (In-Person): Sunday to Friday, 5-10 p.m. in the Living Learning Center, Room 160, during Fall and Spring semesters
- Crisis Text Line (Free, 24/7, Confidential): Text “HOME” to 741-741
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
For OHIO Online
Ohio University offers online support programs including online self-help modules and a provider search engine. Please visit the Regional and OHIO Online Resources page at www.ohio.edu/counseling/regional-online to explore tools to maintain your well-being.
If you are experiencing a crisis, please call 988 to speak with a counselor or text “HOME” to 741-741.
For Regional Higher Education
Ohio University offers online support programs including online self-help modules and a provider search engine. Please visit the Regional and OHIO Online Resources page at www.ohio.edu/counseling/regional-online to explore useful tools to maintain your well-being.
If you are experiencing a crisis, please call 988 to speak with a counselor or text “HOME” to 741-741.
We Want To Hear From You
CPS is committed to enhancing the mental health and well-being of the Bobcat community, in part by providing quality outreach and consultation services to faculty and staff. We are interested in understanding:
- Your awareness and perception of mental health services and resources for Athens campus students.
- Your needs and interests as they relate to supporting the mental well-being of the students you work with.
- Your experience with our office.
Please help us by completing a brief 5-10 minute survey. The data collected will be used to enhance our outreach and consultation to you and your department.