To: All Students<\/p>\n
From: Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students<\/p>\n
Date: January 26, 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). No appointment is necessary, but you must first call 201-684-7522. 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:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Helping Each Other<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n While I hope that you would intervene when another student is in distress, I recognize that you must first have access to teachable tools in order to be aware of warning signs. Counseling Services has adopted an online tool called \u201cAsk, Listen, Refer\u201d that will teach you to better notice the signs of distress, to support someone you are worried about, and to refer them to services if necessary. To engage in the free training, click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and take the 20-minute, self-guided online program.\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 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 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. The list of available topics and the request form for Wellness Is Now (W.I.N.) can be found on the\u00a0Counseling Services webpage<\/a>. If you\u2019d 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>. If you wish to get involved on campus as a student leader to promote mental and emotional health and so much more, please\u00a0apply to become a Wellness Is Now (WIN) peer educator<\/a>\u00a0for fall 2022.<\/p>\n Behavioral Intervention Team Additional Ways to Care for Yourself<\/u><\/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\u00a0your<\/u>\u00a0community.<\/p>\n
\n<\/u><\/strong>Free, confidential mental health counseling and crisis intervention services are available through\u00a0Counseling Services<\/a>. 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<\/u><\/strong>If you are not sure what to do about another student and the student is\u00a0not<\/u><\/strong>\u00a0in immediate danger, you can share your concerns with Ramapo College\u2019s Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) at\u00a0https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/bit\/<\/a>. The team coordinates the support services of Ramapo College in order to assist students who have reportedly displayed troublesome or concerning behaviors.<\/p>\n\n
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