{"id":412,"date":"2024-09-05T14:09:05","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T14:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint-2024\/?page_id=412"},"modified":"2024-09-09T18:03:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T18:03:22","slug":"response-to-emotional-and-behavioral-crises","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/response-to-emotional-and-behavioral-crises\/","title":{"rendered":"Response to Emotional and Behavioral Crises"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">College students sometimes experience emotional crises that might affect their functioning and behavior. When this occurs, the student is strongly urged to seek assistance at Counseling and Psychological Services at the Wellness Center. Counseling\u00a0and Psychological Services can provide confidential counseling and therapy, psychiatric services and referral. Counseling\u00a0and Psychological Services may only share confidential information about a student with other College personnel or the\u00a0student\u2019s parents without the student\u2019s permission if it is deemed that the student presents an imminent harm to others.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reach the Wellness Center during regular business hours, please call (240) 895-4289.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After regular business hours during academic terms emergency mental health services may be accessed by contacting a member of the Residence Life Staff or Public Safety at (240) 895-4911 or by calling the Wellness Center 24\/7\u00a0Helpline at (240-895-4200)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other local crisis services include:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> St. Mary\u2019s Hospital \u2013 301-475-8981\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Calvert Health Medical Center \u2013 410-535-4000\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occasionally students are unable or unwilling to seek voluntary help for their emotional or behavioral problems. These\u00a0situations may include suicide attempts, alcohol or drug intoxication which may require medical treatment, and\/or an\u00a0unwillingness to manage a chronic mental health condition appropriately. At times these crises might escalate to the point\u00a0that the student is perceived to be a risk to the health and safety of the College community. At these times, the College may\u00a0request that the student seek hospitalization and\/or return home to be under the care of an off-campus mental health provider.\u00a0 If the student\u2019s hospitalization or psychological treatment is short-term and he or she would like to return to campus to finish\u00a0the term, it is important that the student inform the VPSA or their designee of their desire to return to campus so that the\u00a0appropriate evaluation and support plans can be made.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process for a return to campus after an emotional or behavioral emergency that has required College intervention is as\u00a0follows:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ol type=\"A\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students grant a release of information to the director of the wellness center or designee so that the information can be shared between the treating professionals.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The director of the wellness center reviews information from treating professionals including a treatment summary and recommendations for future care. The director of the wellness center will meet with the student and any appropriate individuals. After reviewing all information, the director of the wellness center will make recommendations to the VPSA or their designee. The student may be requested to remain off campus until all requirements of the review are complete. The student will need to meet with, or be contacted directly by, the VPSA or their designee to learn his\/her status and\/or requirements to return to the campus community. No medical or mental health records are transferred to or shared with the VPSA or their designee.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The VPSA or their designee decides about the student\u2019s readiness to return to campus based on the information from all sectors and decides if there is a need for any required follow-up or accommodations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The VPSA or their designee may determine that it is not appropriate for the student to return to campus under the following policy: Students may be disenrolled from the College or permitted to remain only under specific conditions when there is clear and convincing evidence that the student\u2019s presence poses a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of others. A significant risk of substantial harm is a high probability of substantial harm \u2013 not just a slightly increased, speculative, or remote risk. Students may choose to take a voluntary leave of absence when the review indicates that the college environment is not a safe or therapeutically appropriate one.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Based on behavior that constitutes policy violation in accordance with the Code of Conduct, the College may determine it is\u00a0not safe for the community to have the individual return to the college immediately following a psychological crisis and, based\u00a0on behavior not illness, the student may be disenrolled from the college involuntarily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process for a return to campus after a leave of absence is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol type=\"A\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a student takes a leave of absence from the College due to an emotional or behavioral concern, then the request for re admission will be evaluated by the VPSA or their designee to determine whether or not the student is ready to return to school. The\u00a0judgment of the VPSA or their designee is based upon documentation of the health and readiness of the student to return and the\u00a0possible effect on the community. It is in no way a punitive process. Rather, it is an essential educative deliberation at the\u00a0end of a usually difficult and disturbing experience for those involved. It is intended to be beneficial for all and deserves\u00a0wisdom and compassion. As such, the process cannot be rushed. To assure adequate review and contact of all those needing\u00a0to be involved, the necessary information must reach the College at least one month before re-admission is planned in order\u00a0to allow for full consideration of the request. This would also give the student enough time to make plans for course\u00a0registration and housing for the semester. The re-admission request includes the following:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A letter addressed to the VPSA or their designee from the student describing their readiness to return to the\u00a0campus, including their view of the problem\u2019s origin, the ways that the student has sought to deal with the problem, and the student\u2019s plans to prevent future emergencies when the student returns to campus.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students grant a release of information to the director of the wellness center or designee so that information\u00a0can be shared between the treating professionals and recommendations can be forwarded to the VPSA or their designee.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Written report(s) from treating mental health professional(s) sent to the director of the wellness center, fax:\u00a0 240-895-2239. The report(s) should address the following:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ol type=\"i\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Presenting complaint(s), symptoms and diagnoses.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treatment course, including response to treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommendations for continued treatment, including medications if applicable. The Wellness Center provides follow-up counseling and transitional psychiatric care. However, it should be noted that\u00a0these are short-term services and are not a long-term resource. Students needing long-term care are encouraged to work with\u00a0Counseling and Psychological Services to identify providers from the outside community who can meet their needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A clear statement from the treatment provider that the student is ready to return to the campus environment\u00a0and live independently.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The potential for harm, of self or others, needs to be addressed in the report.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is very important that the student share this requirement with his\/her treatment professional(s) during their initial meeting\u00a0and go over the components of the report before the evaluation is sent to the director of the wellness center (fax: 240-895- 2239). If this information is not comprehensive and thorough, then there may not be time for the director to make a\u00a0responsible recommendation to the VPSA or their designee to permit the student\u2019s return for the requested semester.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The director of the wellness center will review these reports and consultations as well as the letter requesting readmission.\u00a0 He or she may call for a personal interview (face-to-face, or by telephone) with the student to further assess the situation, request additional documentation with consent to speak to the off-campus provider and, in some cases, may discuss the issues\u00a0with parents or family. The director will then make a recommendation to the VPSA or their designee.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The VPSA or their designee will review the information provided and may seek further input (for example, from Residence Life, Public Safety, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty, Student Conduct, the student, etc.), depending upon each particular situation. When the dean is assured that the student is reasonably stable and is fully ready and\u00a0able to handle the psychological, academic, and social pressures of college life, the dean will re-admit the student under\u00a0conditions deemed supportive. If the VPSA or their designee does not judge that re-admission is appropriate at this time, then he or\u00a0she will specify reasons for the decision and what is needed for future consideration.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>College students sometimes experience emotional crises that might affect their functioning and behavior. When this occurs, the student is strongly urged to seek assistance at Counseling and Psychological Services at the Wellness Center. Counseling\u00a0and Psychological Services can provide confidential counseling and therapy, psychiatric services and referral. Counseling\u00a0and Psychological Services may only share confidential information about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":257,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-412","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/257"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/412\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/tothepoint\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}