The Student Services office has developed a new resource to identify students who are suffering from mental health problems.
“The ‘Assisting Students in Distress Resource’ aims to help members in our community identify students who may benefit from referrals to support services,” said Student Services Director Shannon Clarke. “We will be, for example, providing training on this resource to Peer Mentors who will be working over the coming year to provide support to first year students.”
The document outlines several warning signs that can signal mental distress, including a drop in the quality of academic work, repeated absences, and changes to physical appearance, such as excessive weight loss.
The document also offers a few response procedures to ensure a student’s well-being, ranging from “urgent and requires immediate response,” to “the student is having significant academic/personal issues and could use additional resources.”
Finally, the document lists several resources that faculty members can refer students to, including Aboriginal Student Services, Campus Sexual Assault Response Team, Health Services and many more.
“Many campuses have a resource like this,” Clarke said, referencing similar resources developed by the University of Calgary, Dalhousie University, and California State University, which are cited within the document. “We’ve tailored this resource to be specific to STU, and did so in consultation with STU staff, faculty and students.”
“A culture of support on campus is created when all members of the campus community who wish to contribute are equipped to do so,” said Clarke.
