Our department helps UMSL faculty and staff support student mental health in several ways including Outreach partnership, Trainings, etc. If you have additional questions about faculty and staff resources, please contact our office at (314)516-5711.
Did you know that a licensed Counseling Services staff member will speak to your class, team, or group about mental health and wellness topics? Our team is happy to provide outreach programming to the UMSL Community, including but not limited to:
- Class Presentations
- Departmental Trainings
- Panel Discussions
- Event Collaboration and Sponsorship
- Resource Tabling
- Presentations about the services that HCDAS provides for students
To request an Outreach Experience, please fill out Outreach Request Form.
Please note that we cannot guarantee fulfillment of all requests. Requests are reviewed by the Outreach Coordinator and are subject to staff availability.Requests must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the proposed date of the event. If you have any questions or concerns, you may email us at CS Outreach.
Ask, Listen, Refer
Ask, Listen, Refer is an online suicide prevention training created for colleges and universities. The training aims to help students, staff, and faculty prevent suicide by teaching you to 1) Identify people at risk for suicide 2) Recognize risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs of suicide and 3) Respond to and get help for people at risk. Best of all- the training is free to UMSL faculty & staff and takes around 30 minutes to complete. Click here to register and begin the training.
RESPOND
Our department is happy to provide free RESPOND trainings to the UMSL campus.
About 1 in 5 of us will experience a diagnosable mental illness this year. All of us experience emotional 
pain or distress at times in our lives. Most of us want to help yet often feel uncertain about what to do or say. Developed especially for the University of Missouri system, RESPOND will empower you to offer effective support to a student or colleague. The dynamic, interactive full-day training provides a basic overview of symptoms often associated with mental health problems and offers an action plan to help you RESPOND effectively. The course will address campus policies such as FERPA as well as mental health resources.
"This was an important exercise. I now feel better-prepared to help students. I found that it's easier than I thought." - RESPOND participant
"This training exceeded my expectations and gave me additional confidence to deal with, rather than hope to avoid, difficult conversations. My perception of mental health is substantially clarified. The structure of the training is very effective - information was followed by excellent opportunities to apply concepts and knowledge." - RESPOND participant
To request a free RESPOND training for your group or department, fill out our Outreach Request Form.
As a member of the UMSL faculty or staff, you will at times encounter students who are in psychological distress. In many cases, you will be able to serve as a valuable resource in meeting these students' needs and offering support. However, there may be occasions when you will want to refer a student to a professional counselor for assistance. Some invaluable steps you can take to support students include:
- Referring Students to a Crisis Appointment:
Counseling Services offers 24/7 Crisis Support through walk-in appointments during normal business hours and through after-hours phone support. If a student discloses that they are experiencing a mental health crisis (are thinking of killing themselves, hurting someone else, or have experienced a sexual or physical assault in the past 7 days), please connect them with these services by walking them down to our office, calling our office, or directing them to go to our office immediately. To learn more about our Crisis Services, click here. - Recommending Counseling Services to Students:
Because faculty and staff often serve as the primary point of contact for UMSL students, you may be some of the first to notice that a student is experiencing ongoing emotional distress. Letting students know about Counseling Services and recommending that they set up an appointment can be incredibly helpful. To learn more about our services for students, click here. - Making a Referral to UMSL Care:
Sometimes faculty and staff experience concern for students that falls outside of what traditional counseling can help with. Examples of these concerns include homelessness, food insecurity, financial emergencies, basic needs insecurity, and more. UMSL's CARE Team exists to support students with these concerns & faculty and staff can click here to fill out a CARE Referral to connect students with these resources.
