Your Wellness Support Team
We created this information to accomplish the following:
- Educate you about the Wellness Support Team and how it works
- Provide you with information and tips about how to deal with situations you may encounter
- Provide additional resources on our campus and in our community.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Wellness Support Team, call 918-561-1880 or email wellnesssupportteam@okstate.edu
If you would like to refer a student to the Wellness Support Team, complete the form below.
Person of Concern Reporting Form
OVERVIEW
Oklahoma State University’s Center for Health Sciences cares about students’ and residents’ academic, emotional, and physical well-being. Because of our commitment to student wellness, we provide services that support and respond to students’ unique needs. The term “student” is used throughout this guide to refer to graduate students as well as medical students and residents in the Center for Health Sciences.
The OSU-CHS Wellness Support Team receives referrals for and provides support to students
experiencing personal, emotional, medical, and/or other concerns. The Wellness Support
Team is composed of representatives from various campus departments so that a well-rounded,
holistic support system is in place for the OSU-CHS community. The Wellness Support
Team serves as a centralized reporting source for any individual—students, faculty,
staff, parents, etc.—who is concerned about a student and would like assistance.
The Wellness Support Team is designed to connect students to resources and serve as
an on-campus source of support. The Wellness Support Team often collaborates with
other offices, including the Offices of Student Life, Wellness, Academic Success,
and the CHS Security Department. The Wellness Support Team operates under the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in a nonclinical, case management capacity.
The Wellness Support Team does not provide psychotherapy but can direct students to
mental health resources as needed. Although information may be provided to appropriate
faculty and staff members on a need to know basis and/or for health and safety reasons,
the Wellness Support Team works to protect the privacy of the student.
INDICATORS OF DISTRESS
ACADEMIC INDICATORS
- Excessive procrastination and poorly prepared work, especially if this is not typical of the student’s performance
- Missing assignments or exams
- Decline in interest or enthusiasm
- Inability to follow instructions or tasks, despite attempts to clarify/encourage
- Repeated requests for special consideration (e.g., deadline extensions)
- Dependence on a professor/tutor that is beyond what is usual for a student needing assistance
EMOTIONAL INDICATORS
- Extreme or prolonged display of emotion such sadness, nervousness, fearfulness, etc.
- Change in personality (e.g., more outgoing or more withdrawn than usual)
- Difficulty connecting with others
- Difficulty dealing with a personal life event such as a death in family or a relationship break-up
- Expressing feelings of hopelessness, isolation, or worthlessness; including thoughts or mention of suicide, self-harm, or reference to death and dying
- Displays of irritability, anger, or hostility
- Mention of dealing with a mental health diagnosis, substance abuse, eating disorder, etc.
- Strange or bizarre behavior that is clearly inappropriate to the situation
WHAT ABOUT FERPA?
Case management, although supportive and personal, is not the same as psychotherapy. As a result, confidentiality guidelines are different. The Wellness Support Team operates within the confidentiality rules outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Educational records are also protected by FERPA and cannot be shared with anyone outside of the University unless there is concern for the health and safety of the student.
FERPA permits communication about a student of concern under the following circumstances:
- OSU-CHS may disclose personal identifiable information from an “educational record” to appropriate individuals in a health and safety emergency. Information may be released to emergency contacts, police, or others if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or others.
- Information can be shared with University personnel when there is a specific need to know. When sharing information with other staff or faculty, the Wellness Support Team will only share information that is vitally important and always works to respect the privacy of the student.
The Wellness Support Team operates under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in a non-clinical, case management capacity. The Wellness Support Team does not provide psychotherapy. Information may be provided to appropriate faculty and staff members based on a business need to know and/or for health and safety reasons. The Wellness Support Team always works to respect the privacy of the student.
RESPONDING TO SUICIDAL CONCERNS
Suicide Risk
RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF SUICIDE RISK
- Suicide threats/previous attempts
- Increasing drug/alcohol abuse
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Self-destructive behavior
- Hopelessness, feeling like there’s no way out
- Anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, mood swings
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Be aware of direct/indirect verbal clues, behavioral clues, and/or situational clues
WELLNESS RESPONSE
- If the student is at imminent risk (harm to self or others)
- Stay with the student and gather basic info (name, contact, address).
- Call 988 immediately.
- Notify CHS Security:
- Tulsa: 918-561-1234
- Tahlequah: 918-453-3527
- During Business Hours:
- CHS Counseling (Tulsa: 918-561-1822; Tahlequah: 918-525-6350)
- Medical Director of Wellness: 918-561-1898
- After hours: call 988 or 911.
- Notify Campus Life (Angela Bacon) 918.561.1880 angela.bacon@okstate.edu
- If the student shows moderate or severe distress (but not imminent risk)
- Notify the Wellness Support Team (URGENT referral): Person of Concern Form.
- If the student shows mild distress
- Encourage them to schedule counseling (OSU-CHS or community).
- Notify the Wellness Support Team (non-urgent referral, Angela Bacon).
REFERRALS
WHEN TO REFER
As a staff member, faculty, friend, peer, or parent, you see students
on a regular basis and play an incredibly important role in identifying
students who might need additional support. If you notice that a student
is exhibiting any of the following academic, physical, or emotional
indicators, or you just have a “gut feeling” that something is wrong, you
can make a referral to the Wellness Support Team. The referral process
provides students with the opportunity to connect with an on-campus
source of support and identify resources that may be helpful.
REFERRING A STUDENT TO THE WELLNESS SUPPORT TEAM
To refer a student to the Wellness Support Team, you can submit a referral through the Person of Concern Reporting Form that includes the name of the student and information about your concern. Once a Wellness Support Team referral is received, a member of the Wellness Support Team will respond by gathering more information and reaching out to the student to offer support. The Wellness Support Team response is dependent on the context of the referral and level of concern and/or risk. The Wellness Support Team meets regularly for case management to work together to assess the level of concern for the student, identify opportunities to connect with the student, and provide holistic support services. The team will evaluate the circumstances and will work with the student to develop an appropriate action plan.
Be assured that the Wellness Support Team exists to assist students and handle all referrals professionally in an effort to best meet the needs of students and the OSU-CHS community.
WHO IS A DISRUPTIVE INDIVIDUAL?
When a student’s behavior appears distressed and/or goes beyond typical classroom disturbances, you can contact the Wellness Support Team for assistance. The team will evaluate the circumstances and determine an appropriate plan of action for the student.
- An individual who makes threats of physical harm to you, others, or themselves.
- An individual who behaves in an uncharacteristic manner or exhibits unstable behavior patterns.
- An individual who appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled substance.
- An individual who exhibits a weapon.
When safety is an immediate concern, contact the CHS Security Department or 911.
- CHS Security (Tulsa): 918-561-1234
- CHS Security (Tahlequah): 918-453-3527
In the event of an emergency or situation that requires immediate intervention, please contact the CHS Security Department or 911. The Wellness Support Team plays a secondary role to all urgent circumstances and should be contacted only after initial notifications are made. Please know that the Wellness Support Team and the CHS Security Department are committed to a collaborative relationship, and the Wellness Support Team will be notified at the appropriate time by the Security Department when needed.
To submit a Wellness Support Team referral, use the Person of Concern Reporting Form
To contact the Wellness Support Team directly, call 918-561-1880 or email wellnesssupportteam@okstate.edu
The Red Folder Initiative
