If you or someone you know are experiencing a crisis…
During business hours: if you find yourself in a non-life-threatening crisis, you may reach out to the Counseling Center for crisis intervention during our business hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM. We are generally able to return calls or respond to emails by the end of the business day. We do take same-day appointments, though we may have scheduled appointments booked that day. Depending on the situation, we may be able to see you.
After business hours: if you or someone else is experiencing an immediate life-threatening emergency, please do one or more of the following. Contact:
- Campus Security at (808) 735-4792
- 911 for immediate assistance
- the nearest emergency department.
- Hawaii CARES (aka Crisis Line of Hawaii) at (808) 832-3100. Anyone can call the Access Line 24-hours a day and request for Crisis Mobile Outreach (CMO) workers to be sent to any location. On Oahu they promise a response time of 90 minutes or less. The person has to want help. The CMO worker will help address the immediate crisis needs and get the person hooked up with any state services they qualify for. A new person receives a crisis worker for 30 days who helps the person get set up with other services if needed.
- Kū Makani: The Hawaii Resiliency Project (COVID-19 Crisis) at Ph: 1-800-753-6879
- Crisis Text Line: text START to 741-741
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860 (US) or 1-877-330-6366 (Canada)
- Trevor Helpline for LGBTQ youth at 1-866-4U-TREVOR (488-7386) or text the word “Trevor” to 1-202-304-1200
- Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647. 24/7 counseling hotline at no cost to service members and their families.
- Veteran’s Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text 838255
Information for Faculty and Staff
Faculty and Staff have direct contact with students on a daily basis. You will likely encounter a student who you may be concerned about or a student may express concerns to you directly who may need to be referred for counseling services.
Some signs and symptoms in students to look out for who may need to be referred include, but are not limited to the following:
- Confused thinking
- Prolonged depression (sadness, irritability, hopelessness)
- Anger, unruly aggressive, acting out behaviors
- Feelings of extreme highs and lows
- Excessive fears, increased worries, anxieties
- Social withdrawal
- Significant changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Unusual thinking or behaviors that concern other people (delusions)
- Growing inability to cope with problems and activities
- Suicidal thoughts, self-harm behaviors (burning, cutting), substance use, change in hygiene
- Feeling stressed
- Feeling flat or having trouble feeling positive
- Engaging in high-risk activities
- Numerous unexplained ailments (aches, headaches, digestive problems, pain)
- Obsessive thinking or compulsive behaviors
- Thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, family, or social life (tardiness, absenteeism, homesickness)
What can you as Faculty and Staff do to help students who may be in distress?
- Schedule an appointment to meet with the student or pull them aside to talk with them privately.
- Ask the student how they have been doing and if there are any issues that they are having.
- Express your concerns to the student and respect if they do not want to share information with you.
- Listen actively and show empathy.
- Discuss information about the Counseling Center as a confidential resource and how to make an appointment.
Confidentiality
If a student is 18 years or older, written permission or a release of information needs to be completed in order for the Counseling Center to release any information about the student to particular individuals. By law, the Counseling Center cannot disclose any information about the student unless in limited circumstances, such as if there are safety issues that present a risk of harm to self or others. Therefore, confirming that a student was seen at our Counseling Center, is making scheduled appointments, or if any information is wanting to be requested about a student written permission is needed.
Faculty and Staff are welcomed to provide any information about a student or consult with the Counseling Center whether a student should be referred at any time via email or via phone; however, the Counseling Center cannot share any information with you without release from a student legally.
Information for Parents
What can you as Parents do to help your children?
- Check in with them regularly by calling, texting, talking online, and/or sending them mail.
- Have open conversations about their concerns.
- Normalize their experience with difficulties adjusting.
- Listen actively and show empathy.
- Encourage them to outreach to campus activities and support.
- Guide them to resources on campus, especially the Counseling Center.
Confidentiality
If a student is 18 years or older, written permission or a release of information needs to be completed in order for the Counseling Center to release any information to parents. If a student is under 18 years old, we would need to obtain parental consent before your child is able to receive services at the Counseling Center. If you would like to obtain information about your child from the Counseling Center, encourage your child to sign a release. Please understand that this may be the first time your child feels comfortable seeking counseling because of the confidential nature of our sessions, which may help them open up. Please think about your reasons for wanting to know information about your child. By law, the Counseling Center cannot disclose any information about the student unless in limited circumstances, such as if there are safety issues that present a risk of harm to self or others.
Parents are welcomed to provide any information about their child that they are concerned about and/or may consult with our Counseling Center whether their child could benefit from services by emailing or calling us. The Counseling Center cannot share any information with you without release from your child legally.
Student Stress Calendar
Different times of the year can trigger stress for students, see below the different stressors during each month.
