HEY TOTO, WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

1. HEY TOTO, WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE The Changing Role of Faculty in Addressing Student Mental Health

2. What Has Changed • An old norm in classrooms was that if a student did not cause problems leave them alone. • With an increasing focus on retention, ignoring a distressed student can lead to lost revenue. • Without question campuses are seeing more individuals with significant mental health issues. • The community resources for mental health resources have been greatly diminished. • More students have anger management issues and violence is increasingly common on campuses.

3. New Challenges for Faculty • Classroom management is increasingly an issue. • Knowing the network of student support services is imperative. • Knowledge of referral processes for student concerns has become a faculty responsibility. • Faculty and student safety preparation is requiring more time, attention, and resources. • Establishing and enforcing clear boundaries in the classroom is a faculty responsibility. • The demands on faculty and corresponding stress have increased.

4. Current Mental Health Realities on Campuses • Approximately 48.5% students will become so depressed during their time in college that they will consider suicide. • Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among adolescents and the 2nd among college students. • Approximately 1100 college students die each year by suicide. • 8-10% of college students report suicidal ideation each year. • Females are 3 to 5 times more likely to attempt suicide, but males are 4 to 5 times more likely to complete suicide

5. ETSU Mental Health Realities • Dr. Hirsch assessed that approximately 25% of our students endorse moderate to severe depression. • Almost 5% of our students often have thoughts of suicide. • Approximately 900 of our students made a suicide attempt last year. • Approximately 1600 of our students considered suicide last year.

6. ETSU Counseling Center Realities • Provided individual counseling for 617 students last year • 28.6% indicated depression as their primary or secondary concern • 29% indicated anxiety as their primary or secondary concern • Another 7.6% reflected an adjustment issue which is generally accompanied by depression and/or anxiety • 20.1% indicated relationships as their primary concern. • 49 Mental Status Screens were completed. • 53 Alcohol and Drug Screens were completed.

7. What You Can Do to Help Our Students • When you notice distress or negative changes in the students behavior, talk to them. • What to do and say: I feel concerned……when you write about hopelessness.I want you to walk with me to the Counseling Center. • Care Reports (Jeff Howard, Associate Dean of Students) (43 9-4210)

8. ETSU Mental Health Services • ETSU Counseling Center (439-4841)-Serves only ETSU students (Individual and couples counseling, psychiatry, crisis response, preventative psycho-educational programming, case management, career exploration) • Community Counseling Clinic (439-7679)-Counseling Program Training Clinic-Serves community and ETSU students (Individual and couples counseling) • Behavioral Health and Wellness (439-7777)-Psychology Program Training Clinic-Serves community and ETSU students (Individual and couples counseling) • Student University Health Services (439-4225)-Serves community and ETSU students (Psychiatry and psychotropic medication, limited 30 minute psychotherapy sessions provided by a Psychology graduate student)

10. The Distressed Student • Excessive procrastination, poor quality of work • Infrequent attendance • Dependency • Restlessness, falling asleep in class • Clear changes in personal hygiene • Nervousness, tense or tearful • Special requests • Report of sexual or physical assault • Report death of a friend or family member

11. Helping the Distressed Student • Speak with the student privately and confidentially • Let the student know you are concerned and that you would like to help • Encourage the student to seek help through the Counseling Center or another mental health service • Walk the student to the Counseling Center

12. The Disturbed Student • Impaired speech and/or disjointed thoughts • Inappropriate emotional responses • Expressed suicidal or homicidal thoughts • Self-mutilating behaviors such as cutting or burning self • Frequent irritable or abrasive behaviors • Inability to make decisions or to understand academic material • Bizarre behavior • Suspicious or paranoid thoughts

13. Helping the Disturbed Student • If there is not an immediate threat speak with the student privately and confidentially. Document conversations. • Express your concern for their behavior and establish boundaries for in and out of class interactions. • Be assertive. Do not argue with the student about their irrationality or play along with their delusions. • It may help to acknowledge student’s feelings without supporting the irrationality or negative behavior. • Document each incident and interaction with the student. • Contact the Associate Dean and/or Counseling Center for consultation and assistance.

14. The Disruptive Student • Behavior that consistently interferes with effective classroom management, including failure to follow instructor’s directives. • Frequent or high levels of irritable, unruly, abrasive, or aggressive behavior. • Bizarre behavior that is obviously inappropriate for the situation.

16. Helping the Disruptive Student • If no immediate threat exists, speak with the student privately and confidentially. Document interactions. • Clearly identify the behaviors of concern, express your concern, and set appropriate boundaries in the classroom. • If the student remains disruptive, you may ask the student to leave for the remainder of the class period. Longer term class dismissals must be negotiated with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. • Avoid escalating the situation; speak calmly and avoid physical contact. • If the student fails to comply, contact Public Safety (439-4480). Consult with the Counseling Center as needed.

17. The Dangerous Student • Expressed suicidal or homicidal thoughts, threats, or gestures. • Self-mutilating behaviors; such as cutting or burning self. • Threats to others. • Carrying or brandishing a weapon. • Intimidating behaviors, including inappropriate touching or violations of personal space, harassment or stalking.

18. Helping the Dangerous Student • Contact ETSU Public Safety (439-4480). • Avoid escalating the situation; speak calmly and with concern. Avoid physical contact. • You may choose to dismiss the class while waiting for Public Safety. • Use good judgment to protect the yourself and your students. Do not make any effort to prevent the dangerous student from leaving the classroom. • Be proactive; make plans to have a buddy to help out if you have to deal with a dangerous student.

19. Suggestions for Developing a Syllabus • Policy that addresses attendance, punctuality, and tardiness, including consequences.’ • Statement regarding appropriate classroom behavior between students and the instructor. • General policies regarding communication with the instructor (including office hours and location), appointments and drop-in policy, phone number and policy regarding returning phone calls and/or emails. • Policy on eating and drinking in class. • Policy regarding visitors and children in class. • Policy regarding breaks, and leaving or entering class during instruction. • Policy on plagarism. • Policy regarding cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.

20. Three Critical Contacts to Prevent Your Becoming: • ETSU Counseling Center 439-4841 • ETSU Public Safety 439-4480 • Associate Dean of Students; Jeff Howard 439-4210