Mental Health Training for Faculty & Staff Understanding Student Mental Health Diagnoses

Mental health issues are at an all-time high due to a variety of reasons, including Covid-19, racial stress and oppression, a polarizing political environment, and thankfully, a reduction in stigma. There is no place that is seeing this more than on college and university campuses – utilization rates have increased 30-40% over the past 10 years, even as enrollment has decreased 5% – and counseling centers remain overwhelmed with student demand, waitlists, and increased acuity.

These mental health issues are showing up across campuses and faculty and staff sometimes have difficulty addressing these issues due to concerns of not knowing how to help or fear of saying something wrong.

Our expert presenter will focus on prominent mental health issues seen on college campuses and what the diagnoses look like, including how faculty and staff can identify them; know when to refer them; recognize emotions, behaviors and actions that require a more immediate concern; and talk to students with an empathic approach, without crossing boundaries or making either party feel uncomfortable.

Develop partnerships that assist in providing intervention, programming and support for all campus constituents. Help alleviate the strain on counseling centers, provide tools and resources to faculty and staff, and increase the confidence of your entire campus community that everyone is working together to keep students healthy, safe and successful.

Participation Outcomes
Gain crucial, actionable takeaways that will help you:

• Address mental health issues on campus without using significant financial resources – worry less about students falling through the cracks and more about the successful partnerships you are developing with faculty and staff to augment support structures.
• Help faculty and staff identify students in distress and talk openly with them – get specific strategies and tools to talk to students with an empathic approach, without crossing boundaries or making either party feel uncomfortable.
• Develop partnerships with campus offices and departments – maintain open lines of communication in addressing mental health issues on campus.
• Reduce the fear and hesitancy that faculty and staff have in talking to students about mental health concerns – instill confidence and reduce anxiety about making a mistake or saying the wrong thing.

Your Expert Presenter

Dr. Marcus Hotaling currently serves as the Director for the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center at Union College. Dr. Marcus Hotaling received his doctorate in counseling psychology in 2001 from the University at Albany and has worked in a variety of higher educational settings since that time. Dr. Hotaling worked at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a psychologist and Outreach Coordinator from 2003-2007, where the school was a recipient of the first Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Grant. View Dr. Hotaling’s full bio.

Hosted by: Melissa Martin

Dates & Times:

• Monday March 6 at 10:00 am – 11:30 am
• Wednesday March 8 at 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Location: Decker 117

Please Register.

Submitted by: Deena Price