Resources for Faculty & Staff
Many students initially seek assistance from faculty or staff members. As such, you are in a unique position to recognize a student who is in need of help and lend them support. To lend support, it is important to be informed about the signs and symptoms of a student who may be in distress and to know how to respond.
Resources for Faculty and Staff
Starting a Conversation About Mental Health
When people experience distress, they typically want to talk to someone they know. Read this brief guide for suggestions for approaching these conversations.
Statement for Syllabi
You may choose to include the following statement regarding the CSDC and mental health resources in your syllabus.
Emergency Services
Counseling & Student Development Center services are available year-round in the case of a mental health emergency.
- During regular office hours: 570-577-1604
- After-hours urgent phone support: 570-577-1604. Choose Option 2 to connect to the on-call counselor.
How to Make a Referral
There are several ways you can refer a student or otherwise connect them with Counseling & Student Development Services.
- You may suggest that students schedule an appointment online.
- If you feel the situation is an emergency or urgent enough to require immediate attention, call the center and, after identifying yourself as a Bucknell employee, tell the receptionist that the student needs to speak with a counselor immediately. Give the receptionist the student’s name.
- If you are concerned about a student but unsure about the appropriateness of a referral, feel free to call for a consultation.
Please note that due to confidentiality limitations, the CSDC cannot talk with you about the student, including whether or not the student follows through with counseling. When appropriate, counselors will attempt to secure a client's permission to talk openly to other sources of support on campus (such as the academic dean or dean of students).
Distress Recognition Training
Completing an interactive training will help you increase your competence and confidence in knowing what to do when someone is struggling. This 50-minute online course will teach you to recognize signs that students may be in distress, then talk to and connect them with appropriate campus support.
Take the online training course
Outreach Programming
Counseling & Student Development Center staff support the mental well-being of the entire campus community through outreach programming. We have a number of existing resources that you may use to facilitate within your own group, including recorded video presentations and supplemental materials on a variety of topics to support student mental health and well-being. You can view them here.
If you would like assistance in determining which of our programs will best meet your needs, please submit the Outreach Program request form and a staff member will be in touch with you.