To:\u00a0 All Students<\/p>\n
From:\u00a0 Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students\/Vice President for Student Well-being<\/p>\n
Date:\u00a0 \u00a0September 7, 2023<\/p>\n
Dear Student,<\/p>\n
Promoting student well-being is our top priority at Ramapo College. 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. In Spring 2022, the American College Health Association (ACHA) found that 75% of U.S. College students are experiencing moderate or more serious psychological distress and 32.5% of college students have considered suicide in the past year. Ramapo students participated in this survey, and our institutional data showed similar rates of distress and suicidal thoughts in our student population. You are not alone if you feel this way.\u00a0We must also think carefully about how race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, economic status, and first-generation college status can lead to disproportionate mental health challenges for students, especially those with multiple marginalized identities.\u00a0One may not have the support and resources at home. College student mental health is a crisis. And, if you are struggling, we are here for you.<\/p>\n
Supporting the Well-Being of Students<\/p>\n
Mental Health Support: 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 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.<\/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 You have a specific problem and would like to talk it through with someone.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n You are not sure if you want to start ongoing therapy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n You are looking for another perspective on something you are going through.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Starting September 13th, additional weekly Drop-in Hours with Elena Yee (LGBTQIA+ Counselor) will be from 2:00pm to 3:00pm\u00a0 in C-217 (across from the Women\u2019s Center).<\/p>\n Taking Kind and Supportive Action: Faculty and staff have received communication from me on August 31st to help them recognize the warning signs of when a student is in distress and how to quickly offer support.\u00a0 We believe that a kind, compassionate, and quick approach to helping students will greatly help us address student concerns.\u00a0 Bystander intervention underscores how we value caring for one another.\u00a0 Just like you might hold the door open for someone or pick up a pen they have dropped, we want our entire community to hold the door open and help each other move through the doorway toward support and be responsible for helping each other.<\/p>\n *New* Mental Health Initiatives Here to Help You<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Counseling Services has a Multicultural Counselor, who is bilingual and speaks Spanish, a First-Generation Counselor, an LGBTQIA+ Counselor, and a Health Promotions Specialist<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The College added \u2018Welcome to Wellness\u201d to all First Year Seminar Courses as another mechanism to expose students to ways to understand themselves and to persevere toward their own betterment<\/p>\n<\/li>\n UWill<\/a>: Free telehealth counseling designed to expand the mental health counseling options at Ramapo. This will include free immediate access to teletherapy and wellness programming through its easy to use online platform. Uwill is made possible through funding from the State of New Jersey.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n TogetherAll<\/a>: is a free, anonymous peer support platform. It is designed as a safe space for students to share\u202ffeelings and give or get support to improve mental health and wellbeing.\u202fFurthermore, Togetherall can be used for personal growth. The platform provides a private journal and goal tracker, mental health assessments, and a resource library for users.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Wellness Room – Coming during the fall 2023 semester. The Wellness Room will be located in E-216 and is designed to provide mental, spiritual, and emotional support resources for students outside of the Counseling Center.\u00a0 The\u00a0 Wellness Room will have a massage chair, relaxation activities, yoga mats, a light therapy lamp and much more.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The College added a Wellness Initiative representing intervention, support, and resources for all EOF Scholars to attend as part of the summer program<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Counseling Services carved out a Case Manager role for a Psychological Counselor.\u00a0 The Case Manager helps students, who might be in need of long-term care solutions, identify local area providers for further mental health treatment<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Health Services appointments include depression screening and a \u201csoft-hand-off\u201d to a Counseling Services professional should a student need further support<\/p>\n<\/li>\n For qualifying students registered with the Office of Specialized Services, the Attendance Modification Policy includes permitted class absences in order for a student to participate in mental health or other appointments related to their well-being<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Other Crisis Resources:<\/p>\n Suicide & Crisis Hotline: Call or text 988 (24\/7\/365)\u00a0 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. 988 is confidential, free, and available 24\/7\/365. Confidentiality is limited in instances where a caller is a danger to themselves or others. You can still reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u00a0NJ Hopeline (24\/7 Peer Support and Suicide Prevention Hotline); 1-855-654-6735 or text njhopeline@ubhc.rutgers.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Crisis Text Line \u2013 Text HOME to 741741<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The Trevor Lifeline; call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678 for suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning young people under 25 years old<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Trans Lifeline\u2019s Peer Support Hotline, 1-877-565-8860<\/p>\n<\/li>\n RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline (24\/7\/365): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n healingSPACE \u2013 1-201-487-2227; sexual violence crisis intervention hotline (say that you are a Ramapo student.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Veterans in NJ Crisis line: Call 1-800-273-8255, Press 1, Veterans Crisis Line (Text):\u00a0 838-255<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lines for Life Military Helpline for service members, veterans, and their families (24\/7\/365): call 1-888-457-4838<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Lines for Life Alcohol and Drug Helpline for anyone who needs information, support or access to resources and treatment for alcohol or drug use (24\/7\/365): 1-800-923-4357<\/p>\n<\/li>\n NJ IME Addictions Access Center\u00a0 provides information and referral to substance abuse treatment agencies statewide (24\/7\/365): 1-844-276-2777<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Training<\/p>\n 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. 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 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. 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 If you are a student club or group on campus, there are certified student peer educators who can teach your members vital strategies to promote mental and emotional health. If you would like the Wellness is Now (W.I.N.) group 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>. You can also learn how to apply to be a W.I.N. peer educator at that link.<\/p>\n Programs and Events<\/p>\n Please follow @rcnjwellness to stay current with mental health and well-being information and programs from Counseling Services and W.I.N. this fall.<\/p>\n Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, Opening Proclamation September 7th, 1:15pm at Friends Hall.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Words of Hope:\u00a0 Join Counseling Services and Wellness Is Now to write words of hope in the Grove to promote help-seeking and mental health on September 21st from 12:00pm-3:00pm at the Arch\/Grove. Therapy dogs from Creature Comfort Pet Therapy will be at the event from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.\u00a0 Rain Date: Monday, 9\/25 12:00 to 3:00 pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Clued-In: Breaking the Stigma of Counseling at Ramapo: Join Counseling Services and the Women\u2019s Center and LGBTQ+ Services for a Q&A session that will answer questions you may have about Counseling Services at Ramapo. Location: C-220 (Women\u2019s Center and LGBTQ+ Services)<\/p>\n September 19th @ 1:30 pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n September 21st @ 1:30 pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n September 26th @ 1:30 pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Togetherall Tablings – Find the Wellness Is Now Peer Educators around campus throughout the month of September to learn more about Togetherall and enter a registration give-away.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Play: The Coming World by Christopher Shinn Location: Adler Theater in the Berrie Center<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Directed by Reese Pasquarello, current Ramapo College student and cosponsored by Counseling Services.\u00a0 The play centers on the intersection of substance use disorders, suicide, and the impact on loved ones. Set on a New England beach, a young couple struggles to understand themselves and each other. When faced with painful moments in life, they struggle to decide on a healthy solution. To reserve a\u00a0free\u00a0ticket\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Performance Dates and Times:<\/p>\n September 27 @ 3pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n September 28 @ 8pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n October 3 @ 8pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n October 4 @ 3pm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Save the Date, October 15th, Bergen County Out of the Darkness Walk in Saddle River County Park, Saddle Brook, NJ Time: 9:00am. More information to follow.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Behavioral Intervention Team<\/p>\n If you are concerned about another student and not sure how to assist and the student is\u00a0not\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 Additional Ways to Care for Yourself<\/p>\n The following services exist at Ramapo College to help you care for your mental wellbeing:<\/p>\n Counseling Services offers a free, anonymous mental health screening<\/a> to help you identify any areas of distress that could be impacting your ability to function at your best<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Counseling Services has also compiled a resource list<\/a> to support mental well-being, healing, and empowerment among Black students and their allies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Additionally, taking care of your physical health through exercise and nutrition has been found to improve mental wellbeing:<\/p>\n The Ramapo College fitness center<\/a> includes the Bradley Center, Recreation Lounge, Adele and Reuben Thomas Swimming Pool, Sharp Fitness Center, and the Auxiliary Gym.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ramapo Dining Services<\/a> provides a complimentary dietitian, Anne Sugrue, who can help you make informed decisions about your diet on campus.\u00a0 Anne can be reached at anne.sugrue@sodexo.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Students struggling with food insecurity may access the Food Pantry<\/a> located in ASB 130 and a variety of satellite locations<\/a> available in several office areas. The full program of services and support available under the Center for Student Involvement\u2019s We Care Program are found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Building a support system and becoming involved in the community is another great way to care for your well-being. You can\u00a0explore many student clubs and organizations<\/a>\u00a0to find\u00a0your\u00a0community through the Center for Student Involvement.<\/p>\n\n
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