SUPPORTING STUDENTS
Fostering a Culture of Support
As faculty, you play a vital role beyond delivering course content to your students. Your support inside and outside the classroom is instrumental to student success. Strong faculty-student relationships foster a sense of belonging and purpose in students, which can significantly impact academic motivation and achievement. By offering guidance, mentorship, and opportunities for open communication, you can help students navigate academic challenges, identify resources, and develop the confidence to thrive. Fostering a supportive environment empowers students to take ownership of their learning and ultimately reach their full potential. We want to ensure you are able to build your toolbox to better support students.
Supporting Student Wellbeing
What to Do If You Are Concerned About a Student’s Mental Health
The following advice comes from the Office of the Dean of Students (PDF) and can help you determine your next steps.
In all cases, please complete the student of concern referral form, available at this link.
Dangerous Student:
When safety is an immediate concern because a student verbally or physically threatens to harm others or a student makes an active suicide threat, call 911 or the University Police at 404-413-3333.
Disturbing Student:
When safety is not an immediate concern yet a student threatens self harm or demonstrates bizarre or concerning behavior, please complete the referral form to get students to the appropriate resources.
Disruptive Student:
When safety is not an immediate concern yet a student is disruptive as defined by the instructor, follow the Disruptive Student Conduct in the Classroom or Other Learning Environment Guidance.
Troubled Student:
When safety is not an immediate concern yet a student is very sad, highly anxious, lacks motivation or concentration, has experienced a personal or family hardship or emergency, or expresses a need for an Emergency Withdrawal from the university, complete the referral form.
Suicidal Ideation:
If a student has expressed thoughts about not wanting to live, wanting to end their life, or threatens harm to themselves:
- Urge the student to contact the Counseling Center
- Ask if the student would mind if a counselor contacted them
- Provide the Counseling Center’s crisis phone number at 404-413-1640
- Contact Counseling Center to relay your concern
Diagram/Flowchart
A helpful diagram is available on page 3 of the PDF from the Dean of Students office available here.
How to Impact Student Willingness to Seek Support
- Assume everyone is at their breaking point . Be gentle!
- Demonstrate compassion . Remember that asking for help involves being willing to show vulnerability.
- Intentionally articulate interest in your students’ well-being. Express your observations and concerns.
How to Get Assistance from the Counseling Center
- Let the front office know you are faculty or staff
- Tell them you’d like to speak to a counselor about a student
- Let them know if it’s imperative that you speak with someone immediately or if it would be fine for a counselor to return your call shortly
- Let them know if the student is with you and you’d like for a counselor to speak with them directly
Sample Response to Student in Distress
The following is a suggested response from the PDF resource about student mental health from the Office of the Dean of Students, available here:
“I’ve noticed that you’ve been [*what you notice that concerns you*]. I want you to succeed and for you to be well. I’m wondering if it may be helpful for you to reach out to the Counseling Center? Often talking about things is helpful and they are there to support you. There are also student support staff in the Office of the Dean of Students that have access to resources you may not be aware of. I really hope that you do reach out to these offices. However, if you prefer, I can have them reach out to you. Would you be okay with that?”
Faculty/Staff Training
Further information about training for faculty and staff on how to identify and help students in crisis is available on this page in the section below.
Recognizing When Students Need Help: Faculty & Staff Online Training Through Kognito
Kognito training online teaches GSU faculty and staff about aiding students who are experiencing distress, including how to notice signs of distress, use techniques to discuss concerns, and if necessary, refer students to appropriate resources. Click here for more information and to sign up.
The Counseling Center
The Georgia State University Counseling Center is the hub for numerous services and resources to support student well-being. It is available 24/7 if a student is in crisis. Crisis consultation is offered during and after business hours if someone is having suicidal feelings or in danger of harming themselves or others.
Hotline (available 24/7): 404-413-1640
Consultations/Appointments
In addition to 24/7 crisis consultation, the Counseling Center provides short-term, time-limited individual and group counseling services for students.
In-person drop-in same-day consultations are available on the Downtown Campus at 75 Piedmont Avenue NE, Suite 200 A. In-person and virtual ongoing appointments are available on the following campuses: Downtown, Clarkston, Decatur, Alpharetta and Dunwoody.
To participate in ongoing individual counseling at the Counseling Center, students must first meet with a counselor for an initial consultation. During that session, students will receive recommendations for the type of support that may best address their concerns. Students may be encouraged to engage in individual counseling at the Counseling Center or with a provider within the community who works with Georgia State students.
Additionally, students who are attending ongoing individual counseling are eligible to meet with a psychiatrist through the center.
Psychiatric Services
There are different ways students can receive psychiatric services.
- The Georgia State Counseling Center (GSUCC) is a campus-wide resource that provides both counseling and psychiatric services. To utilize psychiatric services, students must be enrolled in counseling through the either, the GSUCC, the Georgia State Psychology Clinic, or UWill.
- UWill is a supplemental resource that is completely virtual and offers telehealth and teletherapy. Psychiatric services can be obtained without being enrolled in counseling, however, students will need to meet with a counselor at the GSUCC. More information is available through the center.
Teletherapy
Through Uwill’s teletherapy services, students can receive free private, secure, immediate access to a therapist. Students can choose a therapist at times fitting their schedules. Appointments are available via by video, phone, chat or message. Click here for more information.
Student Peer Community Support
For students who feel isolated or alone and are in need of peer community, TogetherAll is an online mental health community available to students.
Supporting Students Who Have Experienced Trauma or Violence
Students who have experienced trauma or violence can also be supported through GSU’s Counseling Center. Student Victim Assistance also offers crisis intervention, advocacy, and support for students.
Assistance With Basic Needs
The Office of the Dean of Students at Georgia State University provides assistance to students experiencing concerns with meeting their basic needs by connecting with on and off campus resources. The Student Support Team will work with students to navigate university policies and processes. Please click here for a listing of on-campus and off-campus resources.
If you need further help, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 404-413-1515 or at [email protected].
Emergency Withdrawal Policies/Procedures
Students may request an Emergency Withdrawal when a non-academic emergency situation occurs that prevents them from completing their coursework (e.g., severe medical problems, traumatic events) and when the timing or nature of the emergency prevents them from voluntarily withdrawing from their classes.
Information about policies and procedures regarding emergency withdrawals is available here.
Faculty and Students: Mentorship and Resilience
Resources to Support Students
Online Learning Resources
In addition to Kognito Training as mentioned above (learning how to recognize signs of student distress), for more self-directed learning on this topic, explore this course offered by Stacks for State available to you at no charge through the university. Please note that this isn’t an exhaustive list of courses on this topic. For more information about Stacks for State, click here.