Become a Counseling Center Crisis Volunteer -- Applications Now Available!

10/21/08

Have you wanted to learn more about how to help a student in distress and be able to help if there were a campus-wide crisis?

If your answer is "yes," please consider becoming a Mental Health Response Team (MHRT) volunteer!

The MHRT is a team comprised of staff and faculty who can be called upon in the case of a campus-wide emergency. The MHRT's mission is to aid the Counseling Center in providing a comprehensive crisis response to the Ithaca College campus in an emergency situation by providing basic mental-health support to those members of the campus involved in a crisis, and providing them with basic information about human response to crisis and referral information for further support and services.

Why Become a MHRT volunteer?

• To learn the signs and symptoms of someone in crisis, and know what to do to help
• To be involved in a crisis response plan if and when Ithaca College experiences a crisis that affected many people
• To learn about crisis intervention and the ways we respond to crises in our lives
• To improve your listening skills
• To learn about mental-health resources at Ithaca College and in the community

How Do I Become a MHRT Volunteer?

First, we ask that you fill out an application to join the team. Next, you would be invited to join the initial training, which will occur in January 2009. The initial training will take about the equivalent of one full day (divided into two half-day sessions), and will include basic helping skills; basic mental health assessment, triage, and referral; panel presentations by professionals who have provided mental health crisis response post-9/11 and other campus- or community-related crises; the importance of communication during a crisis, and more.

Additional workshops on relevant crisis intervention topics will be provided throughout the year.

For More Information

Please call or email Suki Montgomery (274-3136 or [mailto:smontgomery@ithaca.edu]) in the Counseling Center if you have questions or would like an application form.

0 Comments

https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20081021112635623