101 100 Chapter Five: Supporting Students with Mental Health Difficulties Chapter Five: Supporting Students with Mental Health Difficulties Handling a Crisis Situation Crisis situations can be very distressing. You may need to talk to someone and get support from others after handling the incident. Do not hesitate to seek counseling support if you feel necessary. • Adopt a non-threatening approach. Speak simply and clearly. Do not confront or challenge. Neither agree nor disagree with the student directly. • Stabilize student’s emotions and de-escalate risk through empathetic listening, giving time to breathe, and firm reassurance. • Contact your colleague and supervisor for help and support. • Call Security Office for on-campus crisis or the Police for off-campus crisis situations. • Accompany the student to the nearest A&E department for emergency medical or psychiatric services in the nearest hospital. • Inform other relevant unit(s) as necessary, such as hall staff / department office / DSTO / OGL / PAO* while safeguarding the student’s rights to privacy and confidentiality. • Contact family by the most appropriate/knowledgeable staff. STAY CALM Try to ensure your own safety as well as that of others, including the concerned student. Ensure privacy and respect by asking others not to crowd the situation as far as possible. But make sure that you are NOT alone in a closed room with the concerned student. Safety is always the top concern. What to Avoid Become panic, over reactive or emotional Approach the students from behind without warning, stare at them, or touch them without permission, as this could be interpreted as threatening Minimize the students’ concern, even you may find their distress irrational or excessive Giving in to inappropriate requests Making direct and specific promises or agreement to the students Assume the students want family or friends being contacted *DSTO denotes Dean of Students’ Office, while OGL as Office of Global Learning, PAO as Public Affairs Office.
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