Division of Student AffairsGood mental health is a key part of student wellness and success. One in four university and college-aged students will experience a mental health problem. Please know that there are things you as a faculty or staff member can do to help people in distress.
If a student talks to you about feeling overwhelmed and isolated, or of being in emotional pain that is too great to bear, or wanting to harm themselves or end their lives, please don't ignore this. Listen and be supportive, and encourage them to talk to someone who can help; there are many on-campus and community resources available to them.
If you are a student in crisis, or you know someone in a crisis, click here to get help now.
Supporting Students in Distress
Situations requiring immediate action
Regardless of the circumstances or context, ANY reference to wanting to die/suicide should be taken seriously and a mental health professional should be contacted.
Warning signs might include:
- Expressed feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, or hopelessness;
- Expressed thoughts that the world, their family and friends would
- be better off without them;
- Expressed feelings of powerful guilt or shame;
- Expressed desire to die by suicide.
Student Wellness Services (613) 533-2506
Queen’s 24 hr. Emergency Report Centre (613) 533-6111
Or Call 911
Once the immediate need for safety has been satisfied, a Care Referral must be filed.
- Any type of physical violence causing bodily harm (self or other);
- Specific threats of violence or harm.
Queen's 24 hr. Emergency Report Centre (613) 533-6111
Or Call 911
Once the immediate need for safety has been satisfied, a Care Referral must be filed.
- Incoherent or unintelligible;
- Cannot be calmed.
Queen's 24 hr. Emergency Report Centre (613) 533-6111
Once the immediate need for safety has been satisfied, a Care Referral must be filed.
- Potential drug overdose;
- Potential alcohol poisoning.
Queen’s 24 hr. Emergency Report Centre at (613) 533-6111
or Call 911
Once the immediate needs for safety has been satisfied, a Care Referral must be filed.
Immediate options for safety and medical attention:
- Call 911 or Queen’s 24 hour Emergency Report Centre at (613) 533-6111.
-
Go to KHSC/KGH site Emergency Department and ask for the Sexual Assault/ Domestic Violence nurse.
- The Kingston Health Sciences Centre Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program is available for medical care, STI and pregnancy prevention, and evidence collection.
Campus Information and Supports:
- Queen’s University Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Coordinator (SVPRC), provides support and information about roles and responsibilities related to disclosures, policy, counselling, reporting, and accommodation options.
- bjl7@queensu.ca
Situations requiring attention
- Serious academic concerns;
- Considering withdrawal;
- In jeopardy of failing;
- Changes in academic performance (deterioration in the quality of work, frequently missed assignments and classes, excessive procrastination, avoidance of participation);
- Listlessness or falling asleep in class.
Make a referral to Care Support Services.
Refer a student to Student Wellness Services for the following changes in regular behaviour:
- Withdrawal from social interactions or academic work;
- Notable changes in energy levels or appearance;
- Unusual behaviour (unexplained crying, laughing to self, rapid speech, disorganized thinking, suspiciousness);
- High levels of irritability;
- Changes in relationships or social behaviour (withdrawal, isolation or dependency);
- Significant weight loss or gain;
- Physical symptoms (nausea, headaches, problems with eating, excessive or disrupted sleeping);
- Changes in hygiene or dress.
Refer a student to Student Wellness Services for the following reported behaviours:
- Difficulty communicating (difficulty forming thoughts, completing sentences, irrational conversations);
- Distortions of reality;
- Difficulty concentrating or communicating.
Complete a Care referral after immediate needs has been satisfied.
Refer a student to the Human Rights and Equity Office regarding concerns about harassment (persistent, unwanted behaviour including sexual harassment) or discrimination. (613) 533-6886
If the situation involves risk or threat of harm, call Queen’s 24 hr. Emergency Report Centre. (613) 533-6111
Make a Care referral for any aggressive behaviours.
- concerning emails;
- worrisome comments made on assignments or tests;
- verbally aggressive;
- aggressive behaviour;
- concerning social media posts.
Make a Care referral for concerns around a students change in drug or alcohol use.
Students with developing needs
Connect a student to appropriate resources. The Student Affairs Student Resource Page offers a list of resources across campus and in the community.
Help the student connect to an Academic Advisor in their faculty.
Connect a student to appropriate resources. The Student Affairs Student Resource Page offers a list of resources across campus and in the community.
Connect a student to appropriate resources. The Student Affairs Student Resource Page offers a list of resources across campus and in the community.
Office of the University Ombudsperson.
The central role of our office is to help ensure procedural fairness in university decision making. We are an important resource to the Queen’s community in helping students, staff, faculty, parents, and alumni understand policies and procedures within the university.
Making a good referral
- Point out that help is available and seeking help is a sign of strength and courage rather than weakness. Acknowledge that seeking help can be scary;
- Research resources (see the PDF below), contact Student Wellness Services for recommendations on how to approach the situation at ext. 32506;
- If the student appears reluctant, you can help by:
Offering to contact the resource on their behalf while they are in your office
Offering to sit with the student while they make the initial contact themselves
Accompanying the student, if appropriate and you feel comfortable - Provide the student with take-away materials and information (contact numbers, locations, etc.);
- Offer to follow-up with the student, but don’t insist on knowing what the student has done.
How to speak to a student about a Care referral
- When making a Care referral, let the student know that you are connecting them to Care Support Services.
- Assure them that doing so allows for academic, financial, or mental health concerns to be responded to quickly, and in a more coordinated way.
- The goal is to get them back on track.
Supporting Students in Distress PDF Document
The Supporting Students in Distress PDF contains all the information on this page in a downloadable, printable document. Please feel free to print for your reference.