Ithaca College

A special thanks to all the faculty and staff who help to reduce the stigma that keeps some of our students from seeking mental health counseling services.  As the beginning of the semester quickly approaches, I hope those of you who will be teaching will consider ways to inspire dialogue with your students about the importance of attending to mental health care.

Should you become concerned about a student, I hope you will feel empowered to address your concern(s) directly.  If not, there are resources available to help you help students.

• Assisting Students at Risk: https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/services/assist/
• If you need to consult with a mental health professional, contact CAPS and ask to speak with the Counselor on Call, 607-274-3136.
• Attend a Pathways training.  Pathways is a crisis intervention and suicide prevention training offered to members of the Ithaca College community.  Information about Pathways can be found at: https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/counseling/pathways/

Some of you might feel inspired to include a statement on your syllabus.  If so, here is an example of what you might want to say.  However, whether you are likely to lead a discussion or add a statement to your syllabus, the bottom line is to say something - and help create a safer campus community for us all.

Diminished mental health (stress, depression, untreated mental illness) can interfere with optimal academic performance.  There are many potential sources of personal difficulties. Academic studies, family, friends, poor health and difficult romantic relationships can contribute to personal difficulties – and impaired academic performance.

Through the office of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), cost-free support can be obtained when personal difficulties threaten your well-being.

In the event I suspect you might benefit from additional support, I will express my concerns, my reasoning, and remind you of resources (e.g., CAPS, Health Center, Chaplains, etc.) that might be of help to you.  It is not my intention to know the details of what you might be experiencing, but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is available.

Getting help is a smart and healthy thing to do… for yourself and for your loved ones.