A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University, Exercises of Nursing

Download A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University and more Exercises Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! March, 2015 — v.2 A GUIDE TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS IN DISTRESS At OCAD University A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University I. ABOUT A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress was prepared on behalf of OCAD University as a part of a campus wide Mental Health Initiative — a project funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Mental Health Innovation Fund. This guide is the result of a campus wide effort to promote mental health and well-being at OCAD University under the leadership of the OCAD University Mental Health Steering Committee. In the spirit of a human-centred and participatory design process, this guide has been reviewed and informed by multiple perspectives and stakeholder groups at OCAD U including students, alumni, staff, and faculty members. PURPOSE This guide aims to offer clear guid- ance and direction on how to sup- port students in emotional and/ or mental health distress at OCAD University. While it is important to acknowledge that there are multiple types, expressions and experien- ces of distress, the term “distress” within the context of this guide, describes the emotions or feelings that interfere with a person’s abil- ity to carry out day-to-day activ- ities. Distress is closely related to the term “crisis” which is used in this Guide to describe a person’s response to a situation or event. A crisis may involve a threat, barrier or traumatic event but also presents an opportunity for change and growth. TARGET USERS This guide targets front-line staff, faculty members and stu- dent leaders, who directly inter- act with students as a part of their roles and responsibilities within OCAD University. OBJECTIVE There is a need for a clear and consistent response system for students experiencing distress at OCAD U. Faculty and staff have requested a campus-wide protocol and guide that provides them with information that will prepare them to support a student in distress and address a crisis scenario on campus. NOTE Please note that some content in this guide has been directly borrowed and/or adapted from the Faculty Guide for Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress (1) developed by Cornell University and the Mental Health Handbook (2), developed by the Council of Ontario Universities. 1 | Cornell University (n.d.). Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress Faculty Handbook. Accessed online on December 1, 2013 at http://dos.cornell.edu/dos/cms/ upload/Total-Book-2.pdf 2 | A draft report of the Mental Health Handbook was shared by the Council of Ontario Universities with OCAD U in November 2013 and adapted with permission. | 5 B. NOTICE 18 I. What is Distress? 18 II. Recognizing Signs of Distress 20 III. Suicide 20 IV. Non-Suicidal Self-Injurious Behaviour or Self-Harm 22 V. Choosing a Support Pathway 22 C. ENGAGE 24 I. Terms of Support 24 II. Confidentiality 25 III. Have a Conversation 25 D. REFER 30 I. Making a Referral 30 II. Refusal of Referral 30 III. Confidentiality 30 3. SELF-CARE 32 4. RESOURCES 34 A. CAMPUS RESOURCES 34 B. COMMUNITY RESOURCES 35 A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University 1. INTRODUCTION A. DESIGNING SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT THIS GUIDE FOCUSES ON HELPING OCAD U FRONT-LINE STAFF, BETTER SERVE AS SUPPORT PERSONS FOR STUDENTS IN DISTRESS BY FOSTERING A COMMUNITY, WHERE THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY. The guide offers a supportive response to students in distress that aims to be human- izing, dignifying, and empowering. We adhere to ideas of compassion and treating others as we would want to be treated ourselves. While this guide has a very pointed focus on crisis and distress scenarios, it is being developed as a part of a greater campus wide Mental Health Strategy that is designed to be pro-active, adaptive and health promoting. It is important to prevent crises from happening in the first place, and by building a healthier and a more support- ive campus community, we can better achieve this. The guide provides an understanding of some of the greater root causes of distress, and recognizes that broader systemic factors affect people’s ability to thrive in the post-secondary environment. Several dif- ferent frameworks and approaches inform this guide and have been adapted for use at OCAD University: | 71. Introduction PROMISING PRACTICES IN POST-SECONDARY CAMPUS DISTRESS PROTOCOLS This guide has been informed by a review of other post-secondary mental health and/or distress/crisis protocols from Universities and Colleges in the US and Canada. STUDENT CENTERED DESIGN Student centered design refers to an intentional focus on the experi- ence and needs of students. The student is viewed as a human being, deserving of care and dignity (1). HEALTH PROMOTION 'Health promotion is the process of en- abling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behav- iour towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions' (2). DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (DBT) DBT is a therapeutic, evidence-based approach for supporting people who are experiencing intense emotions, particularly those with self-harm ing behaviour or suicidal thoughts. This approach focuses on acceptance techniques, emotional regulation, as well as coping strat- egies for tolerating distress (3). 1 | By Us, For Us: The power of co-design and co-delivery by Nesta and the Human Centered Design Toolkit by IDEO. 2 | World Health Organization. (2013). Health Promotion. Accessed online on October 15, 2013 at http://www.who.int/topics/health_ promotion/en/ 3 | Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Press. Mental health and well-being of students is a shared responsibility of all campus community members. A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weaknesses, poor upbringings, or a lack of character or intelligence. MENTAL ILLNESSES ARISE OUT OF A COMPLEX MIX OF PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES. PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE— REGARDLESS OF AGE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, INCOME, ETC.— MAY EXPERIENCE MENTAL ILLNESS. | 111. Introduction | B. Mental Health & Well-being II. MENTAL HEALTH ON CAMPUS Students attitudes, emotions, think- ing, and behaviour and mental health are interrelated. It is normal for students to experience a men- tal health issue during adolescence and young adulthood. Such “issues” may range from having a stressful day to being diagnosed with a men- tal illness. In any case, one cannot assume that a student’s experience of distress is related to any specific illness, condition, or circumstance. For the most part, students are in- credibly resilient, thrive and are able to find healthy ways to cope with the mental health issues they experience. There are also students who experi- ence mental health difficulties and/ or who may lead you to feel concern for their health and well-being. According to the 2013 National College Health Assessment Survey(4), students at OCAD U reported that in the past 12 months, 66.5% felt hopeless and 95% felt over- whelmed by all they had to do. 4 | The OCAD U NCHA survey was conducted in April 2013 among a random sample of 1,100 randomly selected OCAD U students to which 356 responded. Statistics from OCAD U Health and Wellness Centre services further indi- cate that 70% of students accessed counselling services compared to medical services. Moreover, in the 2012 - 2013 academic year, the largest percentage of students accessing the Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) reported seeking academic accommodations for a mental health disability. This percentage has steadi- ly increased over the last three years. There is also evidence that tells us there is a need for OCAD University to better address student distress and mental health and well-be- ing through an environmental and human centered approach. Cultural norms, as well as other aspects of our social position such as gender, education, food security, ethnicity, social environ- ments, fundamentally shape the way we experience mental health. Mental health is a product of more than just genetics, diet, and exercise. A student’s social, political, and eco- nomic conditions can influence the degree of stress she feels on a day- to-day basis. A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL COLLEGE HEALTH ASSESSMENT SURVEY, STUDENTS AT OCAD UNIVERSITY REPORTED THAT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS: 95 % FELT OVERWHELMED BY ALL THEY HAD TO DO 75 % FELT OVERWHELMING ANXIETY 53 % FELT TOO DEPRESSED TO FUNCTION 15 % CONSIDERED SUICIDE | 152. Your Role & Responsibility Your role is not to serve as a counsellor, diagnose a student and/or solve the student’s problems. PROBLEM SOLVING AROUND PERSONAL AND/ OR EMOTIONAL ISSUES, EXPLORING AND PROCESSING EMOTIONS, AND/OR TO GIVING ADVICE IS STRICTLY THE ROLE OF A COUNSELLOR. A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress December, 2014 — v.1 A. STUDENT CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL KEY ELEMENTS OF THE CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL ARE EXPLAINED BELOW: I. URGENT STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM The Urgent Student Support Team is led by Associate Vice President for Students, Deanne Fisher and is a process, which involves the gathering and sharing of information regarding students, who may be in distress or in need of support. This process follows confidentiality procedures as outlined by both the Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and is in adherence with the Ontario Human Rights Code. II. TRIAGE TEAM The Triage Team is comprised of key department leads and led by OCAD University Security & Emergency Services Department. The Triage team is activated when there is an urgent or emer- gent threat of violence to self or others on campus related to students, staff or faculty. The Triage Team utilizes an evidenced based approach to violent risk manage- ment protocol designed for post-secondary institutions. Activates Urgent Student Support Team * CONTACT SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES e.g. Evening class/ weekend studio use ON CAMPUS ON CAMPUS OFFER REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE Approach the student Some of the signs may include: • Increased absence and/or lack of participation in class or studio • Missed, late, or incomplete assignments/exams • Excessive exhaustion, falling asleep in class repeatedly • Loss of interest, lack of energy or difficulty concentrating • More withdrawn or animated than usual • Disturbing content in student work or its presentation CONCERN If student is expressing signs of distress WITHOUT POSING RISK to self or to others EMERGENCY If the student is ACTIVELY PLANNING SUICIDE or POSSESSES THREAT OF IMMEDIATE HARM to self or to others This may include cases of apparent drug/ alcohol abuse or drug reaction URGENT Some of the signs may include: • Talk of suicide • Expressions of hopelessness • Out of touch with reality • Serious emotional difficulties If you believe the student has a SERIOUS NEED FOR HELP and there is NO IMMEDIATE THREAT OF HARM EVENINGS & WEEKENDS REPLY WITH REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE and GOOD2TALK e.g. Troubling email/ social media comment OFF CAMPUS ! NOTIFY CHAIR/ GRADU- ATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR or SUPERVISOR Student REFUSES referral Student ACCEPTS referral BUSINESS HOURS 9 AM - 4:30 PM OFFER REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE Approach the student ON CAMPUS CALL SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES, who have access to mental health support systems ON CAMPUS Activates Triage Team * CONCERN EMERGENCY STUDENT CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM - 4:30PM 51 McCaul St, 2nd Floor, Student Centre 416-977-6000 (Ext. 260) hwc@ocadu.ca Call, email or Walk-in Medical & Counselling Services AVAILABLE 24/7/365 GOOD2TALK POST-SECONDARY HELPLINE Counselling & Mental Health Resources 1-866-925-5454 Good2Talk.ca SEE HOURS OF OPERATION SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES 100 McCaul Street, Main Lobby Security Console Medical, Crisis Intervention, Crime Prevention 416-977-6000 (Ext. 366)NON-EMERGENCY EMERGENCY 416-977-6000 (Ext. 511) or Pick-up the RED PHONE URGENT | 172. Your Role & Responsibility IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO "3. SELF- CARE" ON PAGE 32. Supporting students who are in distress can bear a lot of weight on the person A. STUDENT CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL KEY ELEMENTS OF THE CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL ARE EXPLAINED BELOW: I. URGENT STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM The Urgent Student Support Team is led by Associate Vice President for Students, Deanne Fisher and is a process, which involves the gathering and sharing of information regarding students, who may be in distress or in need of support. This process follows confidentiality procedures as outlined by both the Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and is in adherence with the Ontario Human Rights Code. II. TRIAGE TEAM The Triage Team is comprised of key department leads and led by OCAD University Security & Emergency Services Department. The Triage team is activated when there is an urgent or emer- gent threat of violence to self or others on campus related to students, staff or faculty. The Triage Team utilizes an evidenced based approach to violent risk manage- ment protocol designed for post-secondary institutions. Activates Urgent Student Support Team * CONTACT SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES e.g. Evening class/ weekend studio use ON CAMPUS ON CAMPUS OFFER REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE Approach the student Some of the signs may include: • Increased absence and/or lack of participation in class or studio • Missed, late, or incomplete assignments/exams • Excessive exhaustion, falling asleep in class repeatedly • Loss of interest, lack of energy or difficulty concentrating • More withdrawn or animated than usual • Disturbing content in student work or its presentation CONCERN If student is expressing signs of distress WITHOUT POSING RISK to self or to others EMERGENCY If the student is ACTIVELY PLANNING SUICIDE or POSSESSES THREAT OF IMMEDIATE HARM to self or to others This may include cases of apparent drug/ alcohol abuse or drug reaction URGENT Some of the signs may include: • Talk of suicide • Expressions of hopelessness • Out of touch with reality • Serious emotional difficulties If you believe the student has a SERIOUS NEED FOR HELP and there is NO IMMEDIATE THREAT OF HARM EVENINGS & WEEKENDS REPLY WITH REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE and GOOD2TALK e.g. Troubling email/ social media comment OFF CAMPUS ! NOTIFY CHAIR/ GRADU- ATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR or SUPERVISOR Student REFUSES referral Student ACCEPTS referral BUSINESS HOURS 9 AM - 4:30 PM OFFER REFERRAL TO HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE Approach the student ON CAMPUS CALL SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES, who have access to mental health support systems ON CAMPUS Activates Triage Team * CONCERN EMERGENCY STUDENT CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM - 4:30PM 51 McCaul St, 2nd Floor, Student Centre 416-977-6000 (Ext. 260) hwc@ocadu.ca Call, email or Walk-in Medical & Counselling Services AVAILABLE 24/7/365 GOOD2TALK POST-SECONDARY HELPLINE Counselling & Mental Health Resources 1-866-925-5454 Good2Talk.ca SEE HOURS OF OPERATION SECURITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES 100 McCaul Street, Main Lobby Security Console Medical, Crisis Intervention, Crime Prevention 416-977-6000 (Ext. 366)NON-EMERGENCY EMERGENCY 416-977-6000 (Ext. 511) or Pick-up the RED PHONE URGENT A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University II. RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF DISTRESS Often, there are signs that a student is experiencing distress long be- fore a situation escalates to a crisis. You may notice signs of dis- tress in a student and feel concerned about the student’s well-be- ing. Or you may have a “gut-level feeling” that something is amiss. A simple check-in with the student may help you get a better sense of his or her situation. It is possible that any one indicator of distress, by it- self, may simply mean that a student is having an “off” day. Student might exhibit a number of the following signs of distress: ACADEMIC INDICATORS • Increased absence from class or studio • Lack of participation • Missed assignments, exams, or appointments • Continual seeking of extensions • Deterioration in qual- ity/ quantity of work • Extreme disorganization • Inconsistent performance • Expression of unusual vio- lence, morbidity or despair • Unusual response to grades or other evaluations BEHAVIOURAL & EMOTIONAL INDICATORS • Angry or hostile outbursts • More withdrawn or more animated than usual • Expressions of hopeless- ness or worthlessness • Crying or tearfulness • Expressions of severe anx- iety or irritability • Excessively demanding or de- pendent behaviour • Shakiness, tremors, fidget- ing, or pacing PHYSICAL INDICATORS • Deterioration in personal hygiene • Falling asleep in class repeatedly • Noticeable cuts, bruises, or burns • Frequent or chronic illness • Disorganized, rapid or slurred speech • Unusual inability to make eye contact • Coming to class bleary-eyed or smelling of alcohol • Visible changes in weight • Statements about change in appetite or sleep III. SUICIDE Six to nine percent of post-secondary students seriously contemplated suicide in the past 12 months. Research indicates that if you talk openly, directly and honestly about suicide with people, it reduces risk factors and stigma within a commun- ity. As members of the OCAD U community it is important to be able to identify common risk factors of suicide in post secondary students. | 212. Your Role & Responsibility | B. Notice It is normal to feel nervous at the prospect of a student having suicidal thoughts. It is not your job to keep the entire campus or even your own classroom safe—this is a shared responsibility. The OCAD U Health & Wellness Centre has trained staff who can help you and the student. It is also normal to feel nervous about under-reacting and/or overreacting to concerns about suicide in our students because we are consistently overwhelmed with stories of students’ struggling, both in the media and in our own personal interactions with students. Being confident in the common risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide in post-secondary students and trusting the trained professionals at the Health & Wellness Centre will help alleviate some of your worries in the moment. Your role is to identify common risk factors and be comfortable having a conversation about suicide. It is not your responsibility to assess a person’s risk of suicide; only trained professional staff can make that determination. Some individual risk factors and warning signs for suicide for you to be aware of are listed below. If you notice these signs it may be ap- propriate to ask if the student has been thinking about suicide. INDIVIDUAL RISK FACTORS • Serious physical or men- tal health issues • Alcohol and drug abuse • Major loss • Previous suicide threat or attempt • Major life changes (in addi- tion to normal developmental life changes) • History of suicidal idea- tion and attempts • Have a current suicide plan, are preparing for suicide • High level of impulsivity • Lack appropriate coping skills WARNING SIGNS • Remarks about death, dying, suicide, and/or a desire to die • Expressing feelings of hope- lessness or helplessness • Increasing or exces- sive substance use • Withdrawal from family, friends and/or society • Dramatic changes in mood • Expressing feelings of being trapped with no way out • Anger or seeking revenge • Seeking access to a means to attempt suicide • Evidence or expres- sion of suicide plan • Acting reckless • Giving away possessions and/or putting personal affairs in order A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University IV. NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOUR OR SELF-HARM Non-suicidal Self-injurious Behaviour (NSSI) is the term used described what you might already know of as ‘self harm’. Self-harm is intentional behaviour that someone might engage in that is harmful to his or her own well-being. Common behaviours that you might see in a per- son who self injures are cutting, burning one’s body or banging one’s head. Sometimes people engage in self-harm behaviour and the intention is not to end one’s life. A person may engage in NSSI for a num- ber of reasons, for instance, to feel physical pain, pun- ish oneself for being “bad,” and/or to control feelings. If a student is engaging in NSSI, your role is to offer reassurance and refer the student to the OCAD U Health & Wellness Centre. V. CHOOSING A SUPPORT PATHWAY There are a number of pathways to choose from once you have identified a student in distress: speaking dir- ectly with the student, contacting your supervisor, or referring the student to the appropriate resource. IF YOU HAVE RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENT Speaking directly with him/her may be the best option. Begin the conversation by expressing your concerns about the specific behaviours you have observed. IF YOU DO NOT REALLY KNOW THE STUDENT You may prefer consulting with one or more of these resources in the case of a non-emergency: • Your Supervisor/ Program Chair/ Graduate Program Director • OCAD U Health & Wellness Centre, 416-977-6000, Ext. 260 • OCAD U Security & Emergency Services, 416-977-6000, Ext. 366 Your decision about which path to choose may be influ- enced by: • Your level of experience • The nature or severity of the problem • Your ability to give time to the situation • A variety of other personal factors | 252. Your Role & Responsibility | C. Engage II. CONFIDENTIALITY It is important to maintain confidentiality with respect to your interaction with the student. At the same time, avoid making sweeping promises of confiden- tiality, particularly if the student presents as a risk to themselves or to others. In circumstances, where students are at risk of harming themselves or others it is necessary to breach confidentiality to ensure the safety of those at risk. When disclosing, only disclose details necessary to ensure the student’s safety. Students may ask you if you will keep what they say confidential. You might say: “Everything you say is confidential unless I am con- cerned about your well-being and if that is the case I may want to talk with my supervisor to ensure I am helping you the best way possible.” Maintaining confidentiality for students with disabilities is also a vital procedural component of the duty to accommodate process. III. HAVE A CONVERSATION Try to understand the person’s situation better so you can gather more information about what the student is ex- periencing and to make an appropriate referral. Actively listen to the student by focusing your attention on her/him and reflecting back what she/he is expressing. You may even find yourself having multiple conversations with a student, over time. By actively listening, you help the student feel that she/he is being listened to, valued and understood. GENERAL TIPS • Encourage the student to speak uninterrupted while you listen attentively • Listen without offering judgment or advice • Avoid problem solving or making promises • Allow for silences in the conversation • Ask for clarification rather than make assumptions • Meet privately with the student (choose a time and place when you will not be interrupted) It is OK to ask a student if they are experiencing thoughts of suicide or have plans to harm themselves or others. Asking the question will not “put ideas in their head”. A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University EXPRESS CONCERN | Communicate your care, understanding & accept- ance of where the person is at. Set a positive tone Point out specific changes you’ve ob- served about the student such as changes in behaviour, attitude, etc. Clearly express your care and con- cern for the student and that you are there to support her/him IDENTIFY RISK OF SUICIDE & HARM If there are signs of safety risk, ask if the student is considering suicide. Talk to the student in a safe and private place Ask direct questions Asking directly about suicide helps break down the silence and stig- ma associated with suicide. Ask the person if they have a plan The person may indicate that she/ he is having suicidal thoughts and has a plan to carry this out BELOW ARE SOME TIPS AND EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A STUDENT ABOUT YOUR EXPRESSED CONCERNS: Are you planning on taking your own life? Sometimes when we are under intense stress like you are experiencing, we can have thoughts of wanting to hurt ourselves. Have you have had or are you having thoughts like that? I’ve noticed you’ve been crying in class and have left class on a number of occasions. I am concerned about you. I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but there are so many supports on campus and we will get you through this. | 272. Your Role & Responsibility | C. Engage Research indicates that if you talk openly, directly and honestly about suicide with people, it reduces risk factors and stigma within a community. A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University D. REFER EXPLAIN THE LIMITATIONS OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND REFER THE STUDENT TO THE APPROPRIATE SUPPORT RESOURCE, AS LISTED IN THE "A. STUDENT CRISIS SUPPORT PROTOCOL" ON PAGE 17. I. MAKING A REFERRAL • Provide student’s first & last name • Refer to the Protocol to determine the contact on campus • When disclosing information, only disclose details necessary to ensure the student’s safety • Provide the student with referral material HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTRE • You may call Health & Wellness Centre (HWC) at anytime for a confidential consultation with a mental health clinician • Have the student come to HWC on their own accord or consider accom- panying the student • Call and let HWC know the name of the student you are referring and na- ture of your concerns • If it is urgent, specify urgency. This will ensure that HWC to make a note and watch out for this student • Alternatively you can have HWC to reach out to the student if you get permission from the student • The HWC will not contact a stu- dent without her/his consent, unless there is a risk or safety concern II. REFUSAL OF REFERRAL In non-emergency situations, it remains the right and responsibil- ity of the student to access supports. Restate your concern and rec- ommendation that the student access support services. Acknowledge that it is the student’s choice to take the referral and re- inforce that taking that step may help them reach positive change. You might want to offer to meet with the student again once they have had time to think about this decision. It can help to keep the lines of com- munication open. You can invite the student back to follow up. III. CONFIDENTIALITY It is important to maintain confidentiality with respect to your inter- action with the student. However, in circumstances where the student is at risk of harming himself/ herself or others, it is necessary to share infor- mation as specified in the guide, to ensure the safety of those at risk. | 312. Your Role & Responsibility | D. Refer During high distress situations, it is possible for a Health & Wellness counsellor to visit a student on campus, outside of the Health & Wellness Centre A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University 3. SELF-CARE Supporting students who are experiencing difficulty and per- sonal challenges can bear a lot of weight on the person offer- ing support, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Consequently, after offering support to another person in crisis, contact your supervisor to report the incident and to debrief. It is important to take care of oneself on an ongoing basis for one’s general health and well-being. Being well also en- ables a person to be a better support for another. For instance, if you have flown in an airplane before, you might remember in the safety instructions that when the cabin air pres- sure is low, it is important to secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting others with theirs. Using this analogy, we ac- knowledge the importance of taking care of oneself first before she/he is a place to be a sound support for another person. Additional pathways for seeking self-care include the following: Staff and Faculty who have Long-Term Disability coverage can seek additional supports from the Employee Assistance Program at 1-877-630-6701 which is available 24/7 and com- pletely confidential. Support is available for situations ran- ging from crisis to obtaining assistance for the first time. Staff and Faculty without coverage can seek community supports and/or contact their family doctor. Here are some tips that can help you take care of yourself and help you to reduce burnout: • Validate yourself since stress is understandable • Seek support from colleagues • Assume responsibility for observing your personal limits and be- ing honest and clear with yourself and others about your limits • Take time out for yourself to engage in healthy activities that help you relieve stress (e.g., go for a walk, meet with friends, etc.) | 354. RESOURCES | B. Community Resources B. COMMUNITY RESOURCES EMERGENCY PHONE | 9-1-1 GOOD2TALK POST- SECONDARY HELPLINE Counselling & Mental Health Resources Available 24/7/365 PHONE | 1-866-925-5454 WEB | Good2Talk.ca DISTRESS CENTRES OF TORONTO Distress & Crisis Line Available 24/ 7 /365 PHONE | 416-408-HELP (4357) WEB | TorontoDistressCentre.com TELEHEALTH ONTARIO Health Advice & General Health Information from a Registered Nurse Available 24/7/365 PHONE | 1-866-797-0000 TTY | 1-866-797-0007 GERSTEIN CRISIS CENTRE Crisis Counselling & Referrals 100 Charles St, East, Toronto 24 H CRISIS PHONE LINE | 416-929-5200 REFERRAL PHONE LINE | 416-929-9897 WEB | GersteinCentre.org A Guide to Supporting Students in Distress at OCAD University March, 2015 — v.2