Student Health Services is making available an online Web-based resource, MentalHealthEdu, to help faculty and staff members recognize students who are in distress and determine the best ways to help them.
“Students often reach out to faculty and staff with issues that are troubling them,” said Alan I. Glass, M.D., director of Student Health Services.
“Faculty and staff are often the first to notice changes in students that may indicate more complex mental health issues. MentalHealthEdu gives faculty and staff members the tools necessary for identifying students who may need professional intervention and identifies University resources for referral of these students,” he said.
Designed by mental health experts known for their work with college and university students, MentalHealthEdu is a 30-minute online program that helps faculty and staff members recognize warning signs of students in distress and how to refer them to appropriate WUSTL resources.
“We have received an increasing number of requests from faculty and staff for exactly this type of program,” Glass said. “We have multiple resources available to assist students. This tool will help to increase utilization of these resources.”
MentalHealthEdu aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues and to promote early intervention. Participants learn to interpret the signs of stress commonly exhibited by students.
The program also provides specific suggestions for reaching out to students and presents realistic exercises that allow participants to evaluate the impact of taking, or not taking, certain steps.
Interested faculty members can obtain a course login at facultysenate.wustl.edu. Staff and students can get a login at shs.wustl.edu.
For more information about the program and its benefits, e-mail Glass at aglass@wustl.edu.