Helping a Student in Distress

Our goal is to empower members of the UNH community to act when they are:

  • Concerned that a student or peer is in distress
  • Responding to students who are in distress
  • Seeking specific ways to help in various situations  

Where Do I Start?

If you are concerned about a student, don't let uncertainty stop you from taking action. UNH is committed to supporting students in crisis, in distress, and/or in need of support. This guide has been developed to help you Recognize, Respond, Refer and Reach Out about troubling student behavior. 

For additional information, talk to your supervisor or department chair and contact the Dean of Students Office at (603) 862-2053 or dean.students@unh.edu.

Support Resources on Campus:

UNH Police
(603) 862-1212 | Emergency: 911

  • Immediate emergency services for threatening or dangerous behavior
  • Active shooter and campus safety trainings 
  • Campus-wide alarm system for crisis notification and response
     

Psychological and Counseling Services (PACS)
(603) 862-2090

  • After-hours emergencies: (603) 862-2090, and press "0" to speak with a counselor
  • Brief individual, group, and couple psychotherapies, crisis intervention
  • Consultation and outreach 

 

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)
(603) 862-2607

  • Registering and accommodating students with all types of disabilities
  • Faculty and staff consultation on issues related to students with disabilities
     

Health & Wellness
(603) 862-9355

  • Medical care and wellness education for UNH students, faculty, and staff
  • Individual wellness and education/counseling appointments with educators/counselors 
  • Allergy services, immunizations, pharmacy, men, women, and transgender health care
     

Student Life
(603) 862-2053

  • Support for students who are food insecure
  • Guidance for students seeking leave of absence 
     

Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP)
(603) 862-3494

  • 24/7 hotline, crisis intervention, and safety planning for domestic and sexual violence for people of all genders
  • Free advocacy groups for survivors, friends, and families
  • Community training on issues of consent, sexual assault and harassment 
     

What is a Crisis?

  • Has the student tried recently to harm themselves or someone else?
  • Is the student in the process of harming themselves or someone else?
  • Is the student threatening to harm themselves or someone else?

 

Responding to Students in Distress

  • Stay safe
  • Trust your instincts
  • De-escalate and support
  • Set limits on disruptive/destructive actions
  • Listen thoughtfully and carefully
  • Share what you know
  • Consult to coordinate a timely response
  • Follow up later to see how the student is doing if appropriate

How Do I Help?

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Recognize

  • Disturbing content in paper/emails
  • Decline in academic performance
  • Excessive absenteeism
  • Irrational or bizarre behavior 
  • Sudden change in demeanor (from extroverted to withdrawn, organized to forgetful, etc.)
  • Significant changes in appearance, behavior, or personal hygiene

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Give an example of a time that the student's behavior has worried you
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Be supportive and encouraging if student agrees to get help

Refer

  • PACS (603) 862-2090

Reach Out

  • Crisis: 911 or UPD (603) 862-1212
  • Consultation: PACS (603) 862-2090

Recognize

  • Decline in academic performance 
  • Written or verbal statements preoccupied with theme of death or that convey intent to harm self or others
  • Fresh cuts, scratches, or other wounds
  • Withdrawal from activities and friends
  • Statements of hopelessness such as, "I hate this life," or "Everyone is better off without me."

Respond

  • Express concern and care 
  • Always take suicidal statements, thoughts, or behaviors very seriously
  • If you suspect a student may be suicidal, express concern and refer 
  • Call 911 if there is a threat to student's safety or the safety of others 

Refer

  • PACS (603) 862-2090

Reach Out

  • Crisis: 911 or UPD (603) 862-1212
  • Consultation: PACS (603) 862-2090

Recognize

  • Inappropriate outbursts or persistent interruptions, continued arguing, use of threats
  • Throwing items, refusing to leave, preventing others from leaving, showing or stating the presence of a weapon

*Disorderly conduct and threatening behaviors require immediate action.  

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Explain the impact of student's behavior on the group or class
  • Outline your expectations and help student explore options and alternatives 
  • Call 911 if there is a threat to student's safety or the safety of others

Refer

Reach Out

  • Crisis: 911 or UPD (603) 862-1212
  • Consultation: Dean of Students: (603) 862-2053
  • Associate Dean of College

Recognize

  • Fearful, anxious, nervous, or angry 
  • Withdrawn from activities and friends
  • Visible injuries or bruises
  • Cuts, brands, or scars with a distinct pattern (e.g., Greek alphabet letter)
  • Unusual absence of or damage to personal items such as laptop, cellphone, etc. 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Remain calm. Showing outrage may cause a student to shut down
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Avoid criticizing or minimizing the situation 
  • Say things like, "I'm sorry that happened, but I'm glad you're safe now." and, "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

Refer

Reach Out

  • Crisis: 911 or UPD (603) 862-1212
  • Consultation: Dean of Students: (603) 862-2053

Recognize

  • Internet flaming, trolling, name-calling, or harassment
  • Communications that continue after being told to stop
  • Threats to release private information/photos 
  • Verbal abuse, unwanted sexual flirtations
  • Demand for sexual favors by peer or supervisor accompanied by implied or overt threat concerning an individual's academic status or employment
  • Display of sexually suggestive pictures or cartoons in workspace, residence halls, or online 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Identify resources for safety planning 
  • Encourage student to keep a log of bullying/harassing behavior; take and save screenshots of online harassment (Twitter, Facebook, etc.); save copies of all communications including texts, voicemails, and pictures

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

  • Act(s) directed against a person or property on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or genetic information
  • Defaced posters, signs, or pictures; graffiti or vandalism; pictures, cartoons, or targeted symbols associated with hate
  • Threatening call(s), email(s), or social media post(s)
  • Defacement or destruction of personal property
  • There may be no clear perpetrator involved 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Avoid criticizing, blaming, sounding judgmental, or minimizing the situation
  • Encourage student to save any photos, communications, or other evidence
  • Do not remove any evidence (e.g., erase writing on a whiteboard, etc.)

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

  • Frequent or extended absences
  • Noticeable weight loss or gain
  • Hair loss; pale or gray skin tone
  • Unusual or secretive eating habits; obsession with the fat/caloric content of food 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Recommend medical intervention 

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

  • Frequent or extended absences
  • Decline in academic performance
  • Noticeable weight loss or gain
  • Student is distracted, struggling to concentrate or keep up with assignments 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Recommend student explore resources

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

  • Fearful or anxious related to their partner
  • Apologizes/excuses partner/other's behavior
  • Mentions partner/other's possessiveness, jealousy, or violent behavior, but may laugh it off
  • Visible injuries or bruises
  • Mishaps or injuries with illogical/no explanation
  • Crying or leaving when sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, or child abuse is the topic 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Remain calm. Showing outrage may shut student down
  • Avoid criticizing, blaming, sounding judgmental, or minimizing the situation
  • Identify resources for safety planning
  • Recommend (or, if necessary, insist upon) medical intervention 
  • Say things like, "You've been through something very frightening. I'm so sorry." 

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

  • Intoxicated/high in class or at meetings/events
  • Excessive sleepiness or excessing energy
  • Decline in academic performance 
  • References to alcohol or drug use in conversations, papers, projects, etc. 
  • Deterioration in physical appearance (bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, trembling hands, etc.)

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Give an example of a time that the student's behavior has worried you
  • Be supportive and encouraging if the student agrees to get help
  • Offer to help the student make an appointment for
    alcohol screening and intervention or other drugs screening

Refer

Reach Out

Recognize

These issues may include: illness or death of a family member, job loss, housing issues, natural disaster, breakup, legal difficulties, etc.

  • Frequent or extended absences
  • Decline in academic performance
  • Mentions relationship, financial, or other challenges
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Exhaustion/fatigue
  • Excessive worry, sleeping/eating problems 

Respond

  • Express concern and care
  • Avoid criticizing, blaming, sounding judgmental, or minimizing the situation
  • Listen to and believe student's responses
  • Be supportive and encouraging if the student agrees to get help

Refer

Reach Out

Consider Supporting Your Students' Well-being and Success by:

  • Incorporating "Welcoming Rituals", or efforts to create connections between students at the start of class
  • Encouraging social connections between students in your class (e.g., have students answer questions collaboratively)
  • Highlighting the student support resources included in your syllabi and checking in during stressful times (e.g., mid-semester, before finals)
  • Adding a stretch break at the beginning and middle of class to help students regulate their emotions and increase their ability to be focused on the course material
  • Designing flexible syllabi (e.g., allow for students to drop an exam grade)
  • Encouraging students to check in with themselves or others by using the Self-Assessment Tools at www.unh.edu/health/how-are-you  and www.unh.edu/pacs/services/online-screenings