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Published on Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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NIU community helps to recognize individuals with emotional problems


By DESMOND LAWE
Last updated on 09/07/2009 at 9:13 p.m.

How well do you know the person sitting next to you?

You may have spoken briefly or been introduced during an ice-breaker activity, but how well do you really know them?

It is up to the NIU community to identify those individuals who should be identified as a potential risk to themselves or others. Faculty and staff have been provided with guidelines on how to identify and assist these potential dangers, said Brian Hemphill, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.

“This guide outlines more prevalent signs of an emotionally troubled student and whom to contact to report these concerns,” Hemphill said. “Additionally, the Emergency Guide provided by Public Safety outlines how to respond to numerous emergency situations, including ‘mental health emergency’ and ‘menacing behaviors.’”

Any faculty member who has a student they are concerned about can contact the Counseling and Student Development Center for more help.

The center’s Web site lists three levels of behavior that should be looked for.

The first level includes behaviors that are not disruptive but may be indicators of a potential
problem, including decrease in classroom productivity and change in mood.

The second level includes behaviors that indicate emotional distress such as asking for special considerations or classroom disruptions.

The third level of behavior could be classified as those in a mental health emergency. These behaviors include aggressive or violent behavior, loss of sense with reality and inability to communicate.

GUIDELINES FOR RECOGNIZING EMOTIONALLY TROUBLED STUDENTS

Here are the guidelines for recognizing emotionally troubled students. They are broken into three levels, based on the severity of the cases.

LEVEL 1: Although not disruptive to others, these behaviors may indicate that help is needed:
* Serious grade problems or a change from consistently good grades to unaccountably poor performance;
* Excessive absences, especially if the student previously demonstrated consistent class and/or work attendance;
* Unusual or markedly changed pattern of interaction, i.e., totally avoiding participation, becoming excessively anxious when called upon, dominating discussion, etc.;
* Other characteristics that may indicate a problem, including depressed mood and lethargic behavior; excessive activity and very rapid speech; swollen, red eyes; marked change in personal dress and hygiene; anxious behavior; and falling asleep in class or at work.

LEVEL 2: These behaviors may indicate significant emotional distress and also a reluctance or inability to acknowledge a need for personal help:
* Repeated requests for special consideration, such as deadline extensions (especially if the student appears uncomfortable or highly emotional disclosing the circumstances prompting the request);
* New or consistent behavior which pushes the limits of decorum and which interferes with the effective management of your class or work setting;
* An unusual or exaggerated emotional response that is obviously inappropriate to the situation.

LEVEL 3. These behaviors usually show students in obvious crisis who need emergency care:
* Highly disruptive behavior (hostile, aggressive, violent, etc.);
* Inability to communicate clearly (garbled, slurred speech; unconnected or disjointed thoughts);
* Loss of contact with reality (seeing/hearing things that aren’t present, beliefs or actions greatly at odds with reality or probability);
* Overtly suicidal thoughts (referring to suicide as a current option);
* Homicidal threats.


Source: http://www.niu.edu/Csdc/Outreach
%20&%20Consultation/guidelines
/recognizing%20students.shtml

“Any faculty or staff member with concern about a student can contact us about how best to manage a situation,” said Micky Sharma, director of the Counseling and Student Development Center. “We also can provide consultations for students who may be concerned about a friend or roommate.”

After being identified, the CSDC, Judicial Affairs, Public Safety and the Department of Student Affairs determine how to proceed.

While it is important to identify those who have been flagged as being potentially dangerous to themselves or others, there are many privacy issues that arise when dealing with mental health.

“Notification is based on an individual basis,” Sharma said. “All students seen at the CSDC receive confidential services. Any release of a student’s record follows all legal and ethical
guidelines.”

“I’m not sure they can tell us if we have a flagged student in class,” said Diane Rodgers, assistant professor of sociology. “It would have to be a pretty extreme to tell the faculty about a student because of privacy issues and how difficult it would be to accurately identify someone.”

Hemphill feels the NIU community has an obligation to protect itself and help those who need it.

“We have a responsibility to do our best to proactively address situations that may escalate into
a disruption in our community or pose a threat of harm,” he said.

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