By SHANNON O. WELLS
An updated version of the Faculty and Staff Student Support Guide provides a more streamlined, easier-to-navigate tool for resources and strategies in the post-COVID pandemic environment to help faculty and staff support and manage students in distress.
The University Counseling Center worked in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning to create the current guide, which updates resources to help faculty and staff recognize and support a student experiencing a crisis, and serves as a tool to promote emotional well-being on campus.
“As we returned to campus following the pandemic, we recognized the previous guide was outdated,” said Bernadette Smith, the counseling center’s associate director of outreach. “We worked to update the information to reflect more current resources and guidance. We also worked to create a guide that is direct and easy to navigate, as the overall goal is to provide strategies for faculty and staff to manage a student in distress.
“Additionally, we wanted to provide suggestions for faculty and staff to support student well-being throughout the year,” she said, “not just in times of distress.”
Some of the ways to address potential crises and promote well-being include the following:
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Emphasize the importance of well-being at the outset of the semester and individual class sessions or invite a member of the Counseling Center to address the class.
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Encourage healthy sleep habits by setting assignment deadlines earlier in an evening rather than 11:59 p.m. and if possible, consider flexible deadlines.
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Devote a section of the course syllabus and website to well-being resources on campus.
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Encourage students to use holiday and seasonal breaks to relax and recharge rather than work on class assignments.
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Discuss efficient and healthy approaches to higher-stakes moments in the semester, such as midterm and finals exams, writing papers and dissertation defenses.
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Brainstorm with your department members on ways to proactively support students.
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Model self-care for your students: Visit Wellness for Life at Pitt and LifeSolutions for ideas and support.
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Learn best practices to support student success at Pitt.
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Explore Thrive @ Pitt to learn more about well-being resources available to students.
While the support guide predates the Mental Health Champion Certificate Program, promoted as part of the 2022-23 Year of Emotional Well-Being, the guide is still provided as a resource for those who complete the training. First offered in fall 2021, the virtual training program provides an opportunity to learn how to support students experiencing mental health concerns, helps increase student well-being and promotes human flourishing. It also explores the promotion of culturally responsive care on campus, Smith said.
In addition, the Counseling Center recently collaborated with the Teaching Center to develop an asynchronous Mental Health Champions Certificate Program specifically for students. Launching this fall, the program will be part of the Outside the Classroom Curriculum.
Smith noted that guides to help faculty and staff assist students in distress and encourage well-being are common at universities, and “while they may vary in content, the main focus is to support students who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.”
In addition to the updated support guide, Smith emphasized the wide range of clinical and outreach services and resources available for students through the Counseling Center, which are confidential and free for enrolled students. Students interested in engaging in services are encouraged to utilize drop-in hours by calling 412-648-7930 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
During a drop-in, students can meet in-person or virtually with a clinician to discuss current concerns and create a care plan. Student organizations and faculty/staff departments also can contact to the Counseling Center and request an outreach service, such as a presentation or speaker.
A new program called Happy U will provide students another opportunity to engage in activities designed to promote emotional well-being, Smith said. Developed on the Canvas platform in collaboration with the Teaching Center, the program will be offered to faculty who would like to promote and incorporate well-being in the classroom.
The Counseling Center also invites Pitt students, staff and faculty to take part in “Find Your Anchor” for “Build A Box, Save a Life” on Sept. 11. Find Your Anchor is a grassroots movement aimed at suicide prevention, awareness and education.
“With creativity and a personal touch, Find Your Anchor aims to support those who may be struggling and de-stigmatize conversations surrounding suicide and mental health,” Smith said.
Registration information will be available at the start of the semester.
Smith noted that the Faculty and Staff Student Support Guide will continue to be reviewed and updated to reflect changing circumstances.
“We will continue to work with our colleagues to update and evolve the guide to ensure we are providing helpful and accurate information for faculty and staff,” she said.
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
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