Signs of psychological problems and/or a student in distress:

• sudden withdrawal from interactions with faculty, adminstrators, staff or peers
• chronic absences from class
• lack of concentration
• excessive procrastination or dramatic drop in academic performance, especially if inconsistent with previous work
• substance abuse (e.g. smell of alcohol, slurred speech, bloodshot eyes)
• listlessness or frequently falling asleep in class
• repeated requests for special consideration
• thought disorder( e.g. delusions, hallucinations, severe confusion)*
• high levels of irritibility, unruliness, aggressiveness, violence or abrasivness
• talk of hopelessness and despair*
• inability to make decisions, despite your extra efforts to clarify or encourage
• major life trauma (e.g. death, divorce, abuse, severe illness)*
• impaired or garbled speech *
• expression of suicidal thoughts and feelings*

* These behaviors may indicate severe stress and the need for immediate counseling services. Please call the Student Development and Counseling Center for assistance at 318 - 797-5365.

Intervention

Should you decide to discuss your concerns with the student, make every effort to talk with the student in private and during office hours. During your conversation, show and voice your concern by specifically stating your reasons for concern and then listen carefully to the students response. Avoid statements that may criticize or judge the student.

Discuss with the student a referral to the Counseling Center. Reassure the student that the services provided by the Counseling Center are confidential. Information shared during the counseling sessions will not appear on the student's academic record nor be disclosed to faculty or family. Counseling services are offered at no cost to the student. After making the referral to the Counseling Center, continue to show and voice your concern for the student.

How to Refer

There are several ways you can refer a student: call the Counseling Center, walk the student to the office, or complete an EARS referral (an Early Alert Referral System form).

When possible, offer the use of your phone and have the student call the Counseling Center from your office. Having the student make the appointment in your presence often reduces their anxiety and increases the liklihood they will keep the appointment. Usually appointments are available within 48 hours.

If you feel the situation is an emergency, call the Counseling Center, explain the situation and make an immediate referral. The counselors will make every effort to make themselves immediately available at that time and you can walk the student over.

Finally, you can opt to complete an EARS form (located on the University's G-drive) and submit it to the Counseling Center. Upon receipt of the EARS, one of the counselors will attempt to contact the student inviting them into the Counseling Center to discuss concerns cited. All referral information will remain confidential. If a faculty or staff member prefers not to be identified, they may indicate this on the referral.

Follow up

After the student is seen at the Counseling Center, the staff cannot acknowledge the student's counseling status. However, you are encouraged to continue to show your concern for them by following up with the student.

Don't expect immediate results. Changing and learning new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving takes time. Patience, understanding, and follow up on the part of concerned faculty and staff is part of the helping process.