From: The Dean of Students <deanofstudents@ramapo.edu>
Date: Fri, Sep 4, 2026 at 10:06
Subject: Mental Health and Well-being Resources

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Dear Student,

Promoting student well-being is one of our top priorities at Ramapo College. We anticipate that your student experience will be a positive one; however, we recognize that everyone goes through stressful times. According to the Jed Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. In spring 2026, the American College Health Association (ACHA) found that 18.9% of U.S. College students experienced serious psychological distress and 42.7% of college students have considered or attempted suicide. At Ramapo, 31% of students who participated in our survey indicated that they have considered suicide and 10% indicated that they have attempted suicide (Bergen County Collegiate Substance Use and Mental Health Inventory Spring 2026). College student mental health is a pressing concern. If you are struggling, you are not alone if you feel this way and we are here for you.

Supporting the Well-Being of Students

The Center for Student Wellness is a multi-disciplinary team which offers free, confidential mental health counseling, crisis intervention, and health promotion services. The unit is staffed by psychologists, social workers, and professional counselors with bilingual staff who speak Spanish. Counseling Services also has a collaborating psychiatrist and Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors. The contact phone number to schedule an appointment with Counseling Services is 201-684-7522. Counseling Services is located in D-216.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of death, dying, or suicide, emergency appointments are available in Counseling Services by calling 201-684-7522, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all psychological emergencies, including thoughts of suicide, by calling 201-684-7522 and following the prompts. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text at 988.

In Counseling Services, drop-in consultations are offered Monday through Friday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (last student seen at 2:40pm). Students are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Elena Yee (Psychological Counselor) hosts drop in hours on Thursdays from 1:00pm to 2:00pm in C-217 (across from the Women’s Center). Starting on September 8th, Leslie Perez (Psychological Counselor) will host drop in hours on Tuesdays from 1:00pm to 2:00pm in the Multicultural Center (D-214). The purpose of these brief, drop-in hours are to assist students with concerns such as:

• You have a specific problem and would like to talk it through with someone
• You are not sure if you want to start ongoing therapy
• You are looking for another perspective on something you are going through

Taking Kind and Supportive Action: At the start of each semester, faculty and staff receive communication to help them recognize the warning signs of when a student is in distress and how to quickly offer support. We believe that a kind, compassionate, and quick approach to helping students will greatly help address student concerns.

The Red Folder: The Red Folder is a one-stop shop for assisting students in distress and will help you determine how to respond and help students connect to appropriate campus resources. See Something. Say Something. Do Something.

Well-Being Resources Here to Help You

We are concerned by the sobering statistics around college student mental health conditions and, in addition to the above mentioned resources, want you to know what we are doing about it.

• UWill: UWill includes free, immediate access to teletherapy and wellness programming through its easy to use online platform. Choose a therapist based on your preferences including availability, issue, gender, language, ethnicity.
• TogetherAll: Free, anonymous peer support from an online global community. The platform is designed as a safe space for students to share feelings, to give or get support, or for personal growth.
• The Roadrunner Collegiate Recovery Program provides a supportive community for students curious about or in recovery from a substance use disorder(s). The program follows a harm reduction model, meaning students do not need to already be abstinent to enter the program, and is designed to reinforce the personal dignity and worth of each student.
• Wellness Room: The Wellness Room is located in E-216 and provides mental, spiritual, and emotional support resources for students. The room has a massage chair, relaxation activities, yoga mats, a light therapy lamp and much more. Make your reservation and simply pick the key up from the Center for Student Involvement to access your space.
• Therapy Animal Visits from Creature Comfort Pet Therapy. Reserve your space on Archway.
• RISE Science is a sleep app available FREE to Ramapo students for four years upon signing up. Sleep is linked to depression and suicide risk – RISE can empower you to sleep better and feel better.

Local and National Resources

• 988 Lifeline (24/7/365): Call or text 988 to access a trained crisis counselor if you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. If you are a veteran, Press 1 and press 2 for Spanish
• Crisis Text Line (24/7/365) – Text HOME to 741-741, Text “AYUDA” for Spanish. Veterans text “SERVE” or “SERVICIO.”
• The Trevor Lifeline (24/7/365) – Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678 to get connected to a trained crisis counselor who understands the challenges LGBTQ+ young people face
• Trans Lifeline Peer Support Hotline (Mon-Fri: 1pm to 9pm EST) – Call 1-877-565-8860. Press 2 for Spanish.
• LGBT National Hotline (Mon-Fri: 2pm to 11pm EST, Sat: 12pm to 5pm EST) – Call for a confidential safe space for peer support before a crisis
• healingSPACE (24/7/365) – Call 1-201-487-2227 for sexual violence support, whether it happened hours or years ago (say that you are a Ramapo student)
• RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline (24/7/365) – Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or text HOPE to 64673 for confidential support, linkage to resources, and information about local laws
• Bergen County Addiction Support Hotline (24/7/365) – Call or text 201-589-2976 to connect with a Peer Recovery specialist for yourself or a loved one
• SAMHSA National Helpline (24/7/365) – Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for confidential assistance in referrals for substance use and mental health treatment and information (bilingual Spanish support available)
• Bergen County Resources for Undocumented Families and Immigration Resources – medical, emotional, social, and legal resources
• NJ 211 (24/7/365) – Call 211 or text your zip code to 898-211 to get linked to multilingual support and resources for basic human needs, mental health, and physical health

(Students should evaluate the above external resources according to their own needs)

Getting Involved with Mental Health and Well-being

Are you passionate about student mental health and well-being? Consider joining:

• Ramapo College’s Wellness and Prevention Task Force is composed of faculty, staff and students. Task force activities include, but are not limited to, designing institution-specific goals, student education, programming, policy review/implementation, environmental scans, and data analysis and assessment. The initiative is part of the Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium (BC HEAP). If you would like to join, please email studentwellness@ramapo.edu.
• The Wellness is Now (WIN) Peer Education is a student leadership program within the Center for Student Wellness. WIN Peer Educators are Certified Peer Educators who conduct educational programs on well-being and healthy lifestyle choices. Outreach from WIN Peers can be requested on the Health Promotion website. Questions? Email win@ramapo.edu.
• The Recovery Allies program trains faculty, staff and students to better support those in recovery or struggling with a substance use disorder. The training covers stigma, the science of substance use disorders and how to empathetically approach those in recovery or with a substance use disorder.

Training

You can contribute to Ramapo’s connected, caring community by participating in Counseling Service’s Ask, Listen, Refer training. The brief, free 20-minute online training is designed to give you the important knowledge of recognizing the warning signs of suicide, as well as how to respond and get help for people at risk. We received our Certificate of Completion and hope that you will join us in learning more about how we can support each other.

Counseling Services is available to facilitate suicide prevention training, known as Campus Connect, for student clubs or organizations. Campus Connect is a free, 3-hour long training that provides gatekeepers with information and strategies to help prevent suicide, and refer students to campus and community resources. To request training, please contact Dr. Judy Green at jgreen2@ramapo.edu for more information. Other Counseling Services, Health Promotion, and peer education workshops can be requested on the Health Promotion website or studentwellness@ramapo.edu.

For the first time ever, Mental Health First Aid training is available on our campus. This training is free, comprehensive and designed to provide participants with the skills to recognize when someone is facing mental health or substance use challenges — and the confidence to be their first source of support. The training can be delivered in a single 6 to 8-hour session, over 2 days, or over 4 days. Complete the interest form if you would like to become a Certified Mental Health First Aider!

Programs and Events

Please follow @rcnjwellness to stay current with mental health and well-being information and programs from Health Promotion and Counseling Services. Scheduled programs for spring include:

• The Health Promotion office is hosting a 4-week Intro to Mindfulness group to help you breathe easier, manage stress and connect with the present moment non-judgmentally. Complete the interest form.
• Counseling Services is hosting Cultivating Calm, a 4-week program designed to help you cope with stressors through learning the science of stress, relaxation techniques, and ways to challenge your thoughts. Complete the interest form.

September is National Suicide Prevention and National Recovery Month. Please join the Center for Student Wellness for the following events:

• September 8 from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm – 988 Day Table – C-Wing Underpass
• September 10 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm – World Suicide Prevention Day: Opening Proclamation – The Arch (Rain/heat Friends Hall)
• September 14 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Words of Hope with Therapy Dogs – The Grove (Rain/Heat: Friends Hall)
• September 24 from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm – Glow for Hope with Alpha Phi Omega, Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium, College Programming Board, Office of Violence Prevention and Social Work Club. If you would like to share your story of recovery from mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and suicide, please email studentwellness@ramapo.edu.
• October 3 at 9:00 am – Bergen County Out of the Darkness Walk at Overpeck Park Amphitheater, Ridgefield Park, NJ. Join the Ramapo Walk Team.

Behavioral Intervention Team

If you are concerned about another student and not sure how to assist and the student is not in immediate danger, you can share your concerns with Ramapo College’s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT). The team coordinates the support services of Ramapo College in order to assist students who have reportedly displayed concerning behaviors.

Additional Ways to Care for Yourself

• Counseling Services offers a free, anonymous mental health screening to help you identify any areas of distress that could be impacting your ability to function at your best.
• Counseling Services is committed to providing students with mental health resources for self-help.
• The Ramapo College fitness center includes the Bradley Center, Recreation Lounge, Adele and Reuben Thomas Swimming Pool, Sharp Fitness Center, and the Auxiliary Gym.
• Students struggling with food and economic insecurity may access the We Care Program, including a Food Pantry located in ASB 130 and a variety of satellite locations available in several office areas. There is also a weekly fresh food initiative.
• Building a support system and becoming involved in the community is another great way to care for your social well-being. You can explore many student clubs and organizations to find your community through the Center for Student Involvement.

In closing, we wish you a healthy and positive semester. You belong here, you matter, and you are worth it. If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Student Well-Being Core at 201-684-7457.

In health,

Melissa Van Der Wall; Dean for Students/Vice President for Student Well-Being

Megan Johnston, LSW; Coordinator of Health Promotion