To: All Students<\/p>\n
From: Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students<\/p>\n
Date: September 8, 2022<\/p>\n
Dear Student,<\/p>\n
I anticipate that your student experience will be a positive one; however, I recognize that everyone goes through stressful times. According to the Jed Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students; therefore, I want you to be aware of the services Ramapo College has in place to support students and what you can do to assist another student who might be in distress.<\/p>\n
Counseling Services If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation and 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.\u00a0In addition, 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n 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. The purpose of these brief, drop-in hours are to assist students with concerns such as:<\/p>\n Other Crisis Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Join Counseling Services and\u00a0Active Minds<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Wednesday, September 28th, 2022<\/strong>\u00a0for two screenings of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention\u2019s short documentary, \u201cIt\u2019s Real: College Students and Mental Health.\u201d After the screening, there will be a panel with Counseling Services staff and Ramapo students to discuss mental health concerns and recovery in college students:<\/p>\n Active Minds will also be creating a window display in the Fishbowl to raise awareness about the impact that suicide has on college students.\u00a0 Please consider joining Active Minds and contribute towards these important efforts by emailing\u00a0activeminds@ramapo.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n Lastly, the\u00a0Wellness Is Now (W.I.N.) Peer Educators<\/a>\u00a0will be tabling throughout September to raise awareness about the warning signs of suicide, self-help and Ramapo resources to prevent mental health crisis. You can find them by the Student Center stairs, on the left side, on the following dates:<\/p>\n Helping Each Other If you are a student club or group on campus, there are peer educators you can work with to teach your members vital strategies to promote mental and emotional health through planned workshops. If you would like W.I.N. to co-sponsor an event with your organization, please email Megan Johnston, the Health Educator and W.I.N. staff advisor, at\u00a0mjohnst2@ramapo.edu<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0complete the request form on the W.I.N. webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n Behavioral Intervention Team Additional Ways to Care for Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n The following services exist at Ramapo College to help you care for your mental wellbeing:<\/p>\n Additionally, taking care of your physical health through exercise and nutrition has been found to improve mental wellbeing:<\/p>\n Building a support system and becoming involved in the community is another great way to care for your well-being. You can\u00a0explore the many student clubs and organizations<\/a>\u00a0to find your community.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Free, confidential mental health counseling and crisis intervention services are available through\u00a0Counseling Services<\/a>.\u00a0 The contact phone number to schedule an appointment is 201-684-7522.\u00a0 Counseling Services is located in D-216.<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/strong>You can contribute to Ramapo\u2019s connected, caring community by participating in Counseling Service’s Ask, Listen, Refer training. The brief, 20-minute online\u00a0training<\/a>\u00a0is 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.\u00a0 By completing the training, you will be entered in a\u00a0give-away<\/a>.\u00a0 I received my Certificate of Completion and hope that you will join me in learning more about how we can support each other.<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/strong>Counseling Services can facilitate suicide prevention training, known as Campus Connect, for student clubs or organizations.\u00a0 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. Counseling Services staff members utilize experiential exercises, including an emphasis on acknowledging and working with a gatekeeper\u2019s own fears about suicide. Campus Connect prepares faculty, staff, and students with an opportunity to learn about suicide prevention, and practice strategies for interacting with a student who is in crisis. To request training, please contact Dr. Judy Green at\u00a0jgreen2@ramapo.edu<\/a>\u00a0for more information. Other Counseling Services workshops can be requested on their\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>If you are not sure what to do about another student and the student is\u00a0not<\/strong>\u00a0in immediate danger, you can share your concerns with Ramapo College\u2019s\u00a0Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)<\/a>. The team coordinates the support services of Ramapo College in order to assist students who have reportedly displayed concerning behaviors.<\/p>\n\n
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