Staff/Faculty Guide to Health and Support Resources for Students

This short guide will provide the necessary resources to identify and refer students in need of immediate support while we are working in a hybrid model. You’ll find a full list of phone numbers, email addresses, and web links referenced here in this guide.

Life Threatening Situations

It is critical to help students get immediate support if they report, or you are witness, to a life-threatening situation on or off campus. Call 911 for a medical emergency and 988 for a mental health emergency; they are both available for emergency assistance 24/7. Afterward, notify Campus Security.

When a Student is in Distress

• Ask the student for a quick check-in (in class, phone, zoom)
• Be open to listening. Remain calm and nonjudgmental
• Express your concern and what you have noticed
• Tears and outbursts may be a sign of distress, but some students do not make their distress obvious, it’s okay to ask direct questions if you are concerned.
• Normalize getting help
• Offer clear pathways to support, highlighting relevant campus resources
• Include health and wellness resources on your syllabus
• Walk students over to a campus resource during office hours
• Email resources to students as soon as possible after talking
• Raise a health or student support flag on Starfish (if immediate help is not needed)
• Check-in with a student of concern later to see how they are
• Unless the student is suicidal or a danger to others, they have the right to refuse support and resources.

Ways to be Helpful to Someone Contemplating Suicide

If you are not comfortable having a difficult conversation about suicide, connect the student in real-time with someone on campus who can. It is best to know your limits.

Conversation Tips:

• Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide
• Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings
• Be non-judgmental. Don’t debate whether suicide is right or wrong or whether feelings are good or bad
• Don’t be sworn to secrecy. Seek support
• Find out if the student has access to means of self harm and problem solve with them a way to make the environment safer
• The student can call or text for suicide prevention support, Dial 988 or text “home” to 741741, while you are with them
• Walk the student over to SHS during office hours (Monday - Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 10am-5pm)

All suicidal threats and statements must be taken seriously. In suicidal emergencies, call 988, and then call Campus Security and SHS. Be aware of your own limits and role. If you feel panicked or unsafe, quickly get someone else to help you.

What If a student discloses to you: sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, microaggression or discrimination?

• Before a student discloses or as soon as they do, make sure they understand that you cannot keep the disclosure confidential, and you are required to inform the Title IX Investigator about the incident
• If they are seeking to make a confidential disclosure, students may speak with a medical or mental health provider at SHS
• Share the link for students to report the incident anonymously: Title IX Website and Reporting Forms
• If there is an imminent threat of violence or injury, call 911 without delay

What if a student needs urgent medical attention during class?

1. Call 911 immediately, err on the side of caution
2. Alert Campus Security
3. Alert SHS and include as much information as you have about the situation so our staff can follow up

COVID-19 and Flu Virus Tips

• Emphasize the importance of staying home when feeling ill
• Refer students to SHS for guidance and medical care; SHSportal.newschool.edu
• Provide a clear path for students to keep pace with academic work when not able to attend in-person
• Students with Long COVID are encouraged to contact Student Disability Services to discuss whether accommodations are needed.
• SHS does not write notes to excuse students from class.

Connecting Students: A Network of Support

Once you have determined that a student might benefit from connecting to one of our university resources, you can make a referral either by email, phone, or through Starfish. Below are the best ways to contact support offices. Please review and refer to this Faculty and Staff Referral Guide for best practices on using Starfish and communicating about students.

On Campus Medical and Counseling Services (SHS)

80 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor

Phone: 212.229.1671 (after hours and on weekends, our Nurse Triage Service will pick up calls)

To schedule an appointment, go to the SHS Portal or call us at 212.229.1671

Monday-Friday:

• Counseling Walk-in Hour: 1:45-2:45 pm
• Medical same day and next day appointments are available and can be scheduled in the SHS Portal

Website: newschool.edu/health-services/

For student health insurance questions: email studentinsurance@newschool.edu

For immunization and general SHS questions: email SHS@newschool.edu

Director of Counseling Services - Jessica Mitchell-Corsino

Senior Director of Medical Services - Jayne Jordan-Levy

Associate Provost for SHS - Tracy Robin

After Hours Options on Campus

• Students who live in our university residence halls can be walked over to their residence hall. Housing staff are on-call after hours to respond to student crises
• Campus Security can be reached 24 hours a day
• Call our after hours Nurse Advice Line
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988 - connect student with a crisis counselor by phone
• Connect a student with a partner, friend or family member who can pick them up and stay with them until the next morning when offices reopen
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357): free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
• Additional 24/7 crisis hotlines listed on SHS Suicide Prevention site
• For medical emergencies, call 911 for emergency medical services

Campus Security - 24 Hours

Phone: 212.229.7001

Director: Tom Iliceto

Website: newschool.edu/campus-community/safety-security/

Student Support and Advocacy (SSA) - after 5pm call Campus Security

Director: Amani Gheith or Email SSA

212.229.5600 Ext. 3701

Website: newschool.edu/student-support/

Housing and Residential Education (HRE)

Director of Housing Operations: Brenda Cruz Phone: 212.229.5459

(After 6:00pm contact Campus Security) Email HRE

Website: newschool.edu/housing/

Title IX - Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Stalking, and Violence

Associate Director/ Senior Investigator | Student Equity, Accessibility & Title IX: Cassita Charles-Bowie or Email Title IX

Associate Director of Campus Accessibility/ University Investigator | Student Equity, Accessibility & Title IX: Shannon Schmutz

Phone: 646.909.4088; 212-229-5150 X3513

Website: newschool.edu/title-ix/

Title IX Website and Reporting Forms

• Student Incident Complaint Form
• Faculty/Staff Incident Complaint Form
• Anonymous Incident Complaint Form

Student Conduct and Community Standards

Director: Kamla Holland

Associate Director: Brianna Demorcy

Phone: 646.909.8302

Student Disability Services

Senior Director of Student Equity, Access and Title IX, Nick Faranda

studentdisability@newschool.edu

Phone: 212.229.5626

Equity and Belonging

Associate Provost for Equity and Belonging: Lorenley Báez

72 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor

Phone: 212.229.5459 x3616

A Word about Confidentiality & Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

All university employees are required to report concerns they may have about a student’s health or safety, and FERPA expressly permits this if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. Seek guidance from Student Health Services (SHS) or Student Support and Advocacy (SSA) if you have any doubts.

Campus Security is 24/7

If you have concerns about the safety of a student, your class, or yourself, contact Campus Security immediately at 212.229.7001.

A Note about 911

Be aware that police often precede Emergency Medical Workers so if there are other options that provide a safety net for students that can avoid police involvement, it may be considered (i.e. family member or partner who is present with the student who can safely accompany them to a hospital emergency department).

Nurse Advice Line (After 5pm weekdays and all weekend)

This resource can be used by a student when they need medical or mental health advice: whether to stay home, visit an urgent care center or a hospital emergency room, or if their concern can wait until the next day. Call 212.229.1671 press option 1 or 2.

Classroom Disruptions

• Be proactive, review the syllabus and create communal agreements in the classroom on day 1.
• Refer back to communal agreements when observing behavior that is disruptive to learning
• If the disruption continues, take a moment to talk privately with the student.
• If this does not resolve the problem, you may need to ask the student to leave the classroom.
• Best not to let a problem fester, problems dealt with early can prevent bigger problems later.
• If you are concerned that the disruption may involve a mental health problem, a safety concern, or a serious behavioral problem, it is best to raise a Starfish flag so other student support systems can be activated, and the concern gets documented.
• Consult with colleagues and with appropriate Student Success staff

Resources to call on while in class

• Campus Security at 212-229-7001 (24 hours)
• 911 for medical emergencies and 988 for mental health emergencies (24 hours)
• SHS during office hours at 212-229-1671, a student may be walked over during office hours
• Student Support during office hours at 212-229-5600 x3701
• Your department contact person (find out who in your department is reachable by phone when you are in class)

Resources to call on Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm

• Medical or mental health concern: Student Health Services
• Behavioral or discrimination concern: Student Conduct
• General out of classroom concerns: Student Support and Advocacy
• Disability-related concern: Student Disability Services

Additional Faculty Resources

• The New School offers employees and their household members an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and work/life benefits through Aetna Resources for Living. Inquiries and services are provided at no cost to you and are completely confidential. Call 888.238.6232 anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit resourcesforliving.com (enter the username "newschool" and the password "eap").
• The Faculty Center for Innovation, Collaboration and Support: thefacultycenter@newschool.edu

Additional Student & Faculty Resources

• Togetherall (togetherall.com/register/student): Togetherall is an online, confidential, anonymous peer-to-peer platform that provides mental health support 24/7. Togetherall is a community for individuals to freely talk about their mental health concerns, stressors, and anything on their mind without judgment. Togtherall has “wall guides” who are licensed clinicians that can intervene when it looks like an individual is at high risk. The platform also provides internal screening and self-help modules. The platform is available for both students and faculty.
• Mindwise Innovations (screening.hfihub.com/NewSchool): Mindwise Innovations is an anonymous, voluntary mental health screening for students & staff. Various mental health screenings are available on the platform, depending on the concern, including, but not limited to: substance abuse, eating disorders, life satisfaction, anger management, etc.