Academic Cues

• Decline in course work and class participation
• Deficient reading speed or comprehension
• Poor study habits
• Disruptive behavior in classIncapacitating test anxiety
• Repeated requests for special consideration
• Increased absences from class
• Creative work or writings indicating extreme hopelessness, despair, anger or isolation
• Lack of alternative goals when failing
• Chronic indecisiveness or choice conflict

Threat to Safety/
High Risk Cues

• Homicidal threats, expressed verbally or through written content (e.g. assignments, papers etc)
• Direct reference to suicide or indirect cues (e.g. assignments, papers etc)
• Behavioral cues suggesting a suicide plan (e.g. giving away possessions, suicide note, accessing means to kill oneself etc)
• Violent or extremely disruptive behavior
• Stalking behaviors

• Dramatic weight loss or gain
• Poor personal hygiene
• Attending class appearing bleary-eyed, hung over or smelling of alcohol
• Deterioration in personal appearance

The options you choose depend upon the urgency of the situation. For students who are having difficulty, but seem able to cope fairly well, you may choose not to intervene, to limit your interaction to the classroom issue, or to deal with it on a more personal level. If you judge a situation to be more urgent or an emergency (e.g. threat to safety/high risk cues), you might decide that more active and timely involvement on your part is appropriate.

Referral Process

When to make a referral

Even though a student asks for help with a problem and you are willing to help, some circumstances may indicate that you should suggest that the student use other resources. For example:

• The problem or request is one you can’t handle
• You believe that personality differences will interfere with your ability to help
• You know the student personally
• The student is reluctant to discuss the problem
• After working with the student, you find little progress
• You feel overwhelmed and stressed yourself

• Express your recommendation in a straightforward, matter-of-fact manner.
• Make it clear that this recommendation represents your best judgment based on your observations of the student's behavior.
• Be specific regarding the behavior that has raised your concerns and avoid making generalizations or attributing anything negative to the individual's personality or character.
• Except in an emergency, the option must be left open for the student to accept or refuse counseling. If the student is skeptical for whatever reason, simply express your acceptance of those feelings so that your own relationship with the student is not jeopardized.
• Give the student room to consider alternatives by suggesting that perhaps you can talk after the student has had some time to think it over. If the student emphatically says "No," respect the decision and again leave the situation open for possible reconsideration later.
• Offer to let the student call from your office right then so that a public commitment will have been made.
• Accompany the student yourself to ensure that the student arrives at the center and to provide important information. Counseling and Psychological Services would appreciate your calling ahead if a student is being brought over or sent directly in an emergency, so that plans can be made to have a counselor available.

Initial Consultation:
Once the student contacts CAPS, an appointment is made for an initial consultation, usually within a few days of the time of contact. In an emergency, the student is seen that day. Walk-in times are also available.

First Visit:
During the student's first visit to the CAPS, information forms are completed. These can be waived in emergencies. During the first appointment, the counselor assesses the student's needs and considers ways the center might be able to help.

Services:
The counselor might consider individual counseling, groups or workshops, or a referral to private or community counseling services. Some students may leave the initial consultation feeling able to handle the problem without further assistance. If the student and counselor agree that individual counseling is appropriate, regular appointments are scheduled.

The center offers short-term counseling. Typically, students need four or five sessions with a counselor. At the busiest times of the year, it may be up to two weeks before regular appointments begin. Students are encouraged to keep in touch if their level of distress increases prior to scheduled appointments.

Students need to know that services provided at CAPS are free and confidential. Information is released only with a student's written permission. Exceptions to confidentiality may occur if there is clear danger to self or others or in the case of a court-ordered subpoena.