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How to Refer a Student to Counseling The Student Counseling Services (SCS) office receives referrals from various sources. These sources have primarily been parents, R.A.s, S.A.s, and Student Affairs staff members. As the Rose-Hulman faculty members have the rare opportunity to observe problematic behavior first hand, and are often privy to a student’s personal information, a reasonable conclusion would be that they are one of the SCS’s primary referring sources as well. This has not been the case, however. The SCS receives very few referrals from members of faculty. Generally, faculty members refer students who exhibit or complain of emotional or behavioral problems to Student Affairs office. Student Affairs staff members often do not have the appropriate training for dealing with students who are experiencing psychological disturbances. The SCS recently addressed this problem by offering a presentation on the appropriate student referral process to the freshman advisors. In spite of this attempt, the problem was not alleviated. This website provides sufficient and accurate information to help the faculty member who is referring a student to the SCS for counseling through the referral process. What to look for:
The referral
process: Step 1:
Addressing the Student One of the most important steps to successfully referring a
student to counseling is personally addressing him or her.
The following is a guide for addressing the student in a non-threatening
and informative manner that helps communicate your concern as a faculty member. (1) State your concerns using an “I” statement. For example, “I am concerned about you because I have been noticing your course grade dropping over the last several weeks.” (2) State your concerns in a non-judgmental manner. For example, “I am concerned about your recent absences in my class,” instead of, “I don’t feel like you’re taking my class very seriously.” (3) Be specific about the behaviors that you are concerned about. For example, “I have noticed that you speak in class much less than you used to and that you don’t seem to be interested in talking to your friends anymore.” (4) Allow the student an opportunity to talk to you about what is bothering them. For example, “It might help you to talk to me about what is bothering you.” Step 2: Making
the Referral (Stage 1) Step 2 is a time devoted to preparing the student for the referral. (1) Recommend a referral to counseling in an assertive but concerned manner. For example, “I would like to help you get some support,” instead of, “Do you think you would be willing to get some help?” (2)
Be willing to assist with making the first contact with SCS.
For example, you might call SCS on the student’s behalf while the
student is with you. Or you may walk with the student to the SCS office. Please be aware that a staff counselor may be seeing another student when you make an attempt to contact us to do a referral. If you call and get the voice mail service, a staff counselor will make every attempt to return your call that day. When a call is not returned on the same day, a staff counselor will contact you within 24 hours, excluding weekend days and days that the office is not open. Step 3: Making the Referral (Stage 2) This is an action-oriented step where the faculty member
actually facilitates an SCS contact for the student. (1)
The faculty member may contact a staff counselor at the SCS to provide
pertinent information on the student’s behalf.
The student may or may not be present during this contact.
It is important, however, that the student eventually speaks with a staff
counselor prior to the first appointment. This
policy helps to reassure the staff counselor(s) that the student has not been
coerced into counseling, and that they actually do desire the service.
Remember, a substantial power difference exists between the student and
faculty member. This may cause a
student to agree to a suggestion regardless of how they truly feel. -- OR -- (2) The faculty member, after sufficiently covering steps 1 and 2, can offer the student the opportunity to contact a staff counselor himself or herself. This may or may not be done in the presence of the faculty member. Remember to inform the student that a contact may be made by telephone, electronic mail, or simply by stopping by the office (Please refer to the contact information at the bottom of this page). (3) If it helps the student feel more comfortable, the faculty member may walk the student over to the SCS office. He or she may even sit-in on the initial session as long as the student provides written permission. (4)
Follow-up with the student after having made the referral.
Ask how they are doing and if they are getting the assistance they need.
Remember that counseling is confidential and that the SCS staff
counselors will be unable to discuss information that the student shares in
counseling – unless it is a case of an emergency or the student authorizes the
release of information in writing. Always remember that the SCS is available for questions
from faculty members regarding the most appropriate and effective manner for
referring students to counseling. The
counselors at SCS are also available to provide individual or group trainings
for the purpose of educating faculty members about certain types of mental
disorders and their behavioral manifestations that they observe in their
classrooms. Location: Contact Information:
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