Student Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Plan

Your first contact with the Counseling & Student Development Center will typically be a screening interview (initial assessment) in which you and the counselor make decisions about the type of help that would best meet your needs.

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Group counseling gathers approximately five to ten students to meet weekly. These sessions are led by Counseling & Student Development Center staff.

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Counseling & Student Development Center staff are available to present lectures, workshops, and programs to your group, organization, or class.

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Students who wish to meet with our consulting psychiatrist must first meet with a staff counselor to discuss their concerns and to determine if a referral for psychiatric consultation is appropriate. On-going psychiatric treatment is only provided for students who are also working with a counselor at the Counseling & Student Development Center. Our psychiatric providers do not prescribe controlled substances (e.g., stimulants, benzodiazepines).

The Counseling & Student Development Center is one of several emergency support systems available in the case of a crisis.

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The Counseling & Student Development Center offers assessments geared toward helping students explore their patterns of alcohol and drug use. This assessment is designed to help students critically examine their patterns of alcohol/drug use in a judgment-free environment. As part of this assessment, students complete the BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) program, which is evidence-based and has been shown to be an effective intervention. Some students schedule these appointments to fulfill a requirement stemming from an alcohol or drug violation whereas others choose to participate hoping to gain a better understanding of their relationship with substances.

Occasionally, students prefer to work with a counselor in the surrounding community or may wish to work with a counselor at home over winter break, during the summer or when on leave. Our staff can help students to find a counselor in the Lewisburg area or in the student's home community.

The Counseling and Student Development Center works with students, staff, and faculty throughout the year to provide support and training on how to identify and support students in distress. Please contact the CSDC (570-577-1604) if you are interested in learning more about how we might partner to create a suicide-safer community.

Our Outreach Resources site has many additionalresources about caring for yourself and others, tolerating uncertainty, coping with grief and loss, self-compassion, recognizing a student in distress, and how to ask for help. These resources are designed to support your facilitation of these topics on your own or in your organization or class.

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Having a hard time but not sure whether counseling is the support you need at the moment? Visit the CSDC’s Self-Help Resources page, which includes online anonymous screenings, smart-device applications, websites, and other relaxation and mindfulness-based resources. Or give us a call (570-577-1604) to discuss how we can best help you.

Worried about someone? Our friends and students don't always hold up a sign that says, "HELP! I'm in trouble!" Still, there are some common indications that a student may be experiencing significant emotional distress. Signs that a person is at risk of suicide may be a change of behaviors, especially if the behaviors are related to a recent painful event, loss or change. Most people who take their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.

If a person talks about:

• Killing themselves
• Feeling hopeless
• Having no reason to live
• Being a burden to others
• Feeling trapped
• Unbearable pain

Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss or change:

• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Looking for a way to end their lives, such as searching online for methods
• Withdrawing from activities
• Isolating from family and friends
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression
• Fatigue

People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss of interest
• Irritability
• Humiliation/shame
• Agitation/anger
• Relief/sudden improvement

In the meantime, remember:

• Listening to and putting yourself in the shoes of the friend about whom you are concerned can help them feel understood and cared about.
• If you want to explain to a friend why you are concerned, be as specific as you can. Being direct is also advisable; attempting to deceive or trick someone into getting help is unwise.
• Change often happens in stages. When you encourage a friend to go to counseling, you plant a seed for change that may not take hold right away. Keep in mind that when you suggest counseling to a friend they may not be ready to take in this suggestion, and might even be offended or disregard it. If this happens, it can be helpful to remind your friend that you're there for them if they need help. Sometimes people aren't ready to accept help right away but will remember that you’re available for support when they’re ready.
• If you feel that getting someone to help is essential, you may consult with a counselor at the Counseling & Student Development Center.

Learn more about making a referral

As a member of our campus community, we invite you to complete a FREE online training module that should take ~40 minutes and will help you increase your competence and confidence in knowing what to do when someone is struggling. The more Bucknellians who have this training, the greater the chance that a person at risk will get the help they need whenthey most need it.

Online Training Module Instructions for Students, Staff & Faculty

1. Before attempting to access the module ensure 1) that you are already logged into MyBucknell and 2) have confirmed that your device meets the system requirements. You may access the Kognito module on a computer or mobile device.
2. If you need to pause while completing the training, when you log back in again, choose RESUME and it will return your most recent training checkpoint. When you complete the module, please save a copy of the Certificate of Completion should someone need to see that you have completed it this year.
3. If you have already completed the training and it has been over a year, please select the option “Need to Recertify?” (not ‘Re-Launch’) and select “Reset Course.” This will allow you to go through the module again and receive an updated date Certificate of Completion. Refreshing your memory with the knowledge and skills is an important part of building a safer community.
4. If you encounter technical issues accessing the module, please first contact support@kognito.com for assistance. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact;
   Counseling & Student Development Center
   Dr. Kelly Shaw
   kelly.shaw@bucknell.edu
   570-577-1604

Within the first month of the fall and spring semesters, all students will receive an email from the University President or the Dean of Students with information about mental health support resources.

In the event of a confirmed suicide of a student, faculty member, or staff member, the University will make support services readily available and will communicate directly with students, faculty, and staff. The Dean of Students Office will work in conjunction with the university’s Communications office to share information to the extent possible.

The Counseling and Student Development Center works with students, staff, and faculty throughout the year to provide support and training on how to identify and support students in distress. Please contact the CSDC (570-577-1604) if you are interested in learning more about how we might partner to create a suicide-safer community. Thank you for your efforts to help build a kind, caring, compassionate community at Bucknell!

For staff and faculty affected by mental health concerns, the EAP+Work/Life program is a comprehensive program available to benefits-eligible faculty and staff. The EAP+Work/Life program provides a Licensed Professional Counselor to listen and:

• Help define the problem clearly
• Assess the type of help needed
• Either provide the required help or make the most appropriate, cost-effective referral for you

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Work/Life Specialists can assist with . . .

• Stress, depression and anxiety
• Marital relationships and family/parenting issues
• Work conflicts
• Legal and financial issues
• Time management
• Parenting and adoption
• Anger, grief and loss
• Substance abuse
• Eldercare and childcare

For more information, log into myBucknell - BenefitsU and click on the EAP & Health Advocacy tab.