A UC Irvine Community Approach to Managing A UC Irvine Community Approach to Managing Students’ Mental Health IssuesStudents’ Mental Health Issues

Presenters:

Jeanne E. Manese, Ph.D.

Director, Counseling Center

Vivien Chan, M.D.

Chief of Mental Health, Student Health Center

Assistant Clinical Professor,

Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior UCI College of Medicine

Acknowledgments to UCSD Counseling and Psychological Services for their contributions and collaboration in this presentation

October 16, 2009

GoalsGoals

Identify selected psychological concerns Identify selected psychological concerns that affect students, academic functioning that affect students, academic functioning and student lifeand student life

Assist UC Irvine staff and faculty with Assist UC Irvine staff and faculty with management options for these studentsmanagement options for these students

Provide UC Irvine and community Provide UC Irvine and community resourcesresources

Mission of the Counseling Center

The Counseling Center seeks to promote optimal mental health , personal growth, resilience, and the development of coping strategies. Our mission is to provide support to students through crisis intervention, assessment, time limited individual psychotherapy and psychiatric services, group counseling, and referral.

We also offer campus consultation, training, and educational workshops.

UCI Student Health CenterOutpatient Primary Care Clinic

Mental Health Clinic(949) 824 1835

Individual Psychology, Psychiatry and Counseling Services in a multidisciplinary setting

Treatment in College – A Psychiatrist’s Perspective

Determining what is normal: no treatment, or supportive growth-based counseling What is “adjustment typical to the age group:” all of Student Affairs resources are useful What requires ongoing treatment: need a mental health professional

©Gary Larsen

Treatment in College – A Psychiatrist’s Perspective

A Brief Overview of – Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder– Eating Disorders– Autism, Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive

Developmental Disorders– Psychosis

The Language of Suicide

Education & Outreach

Collaborative Effort of QPR: “Question Persuade Refer” suicide prevention campaign– Have your unit call Health Education to

schedule your training!– Available to faculty, staff and student groups

Health Education CenterProject COURAGEEllen Thomas-Reibling, Ph.DCollaborative effort in C&HSSAMHSA Grant 2005-8 for Suicide Prevention

QPR Training: Question/Persuade/Refer

Award-winning Website: don’teraseyourfuture.org

. . . Coming to a sidewalk near you on NOVEMBER 4, 2008 . . .

The Language of SuicideMore Helpful Vocabulary Less Helpful Vocabulary

Deliberate Self Injury “cutter” “self mutilator”

Aborted Suicide Attempt

Incomplete Suicide Attempt

“suicide threat” “suicide gesture” “failed suicide attempt”

Completed Suicide (Attempt) “successful suicide”

Awareness that risk is always ongoing, in context of (high) potential for lethality, (low) rescue, among many other factors

belief that “risk level” is static and that assessment of risk is an event

Managing Potentially Threatening Situations

www.cmha-bc.org March 2005

Be aware that not all unusual behavior is dangerous or violent. If behavior is threatening, however, take the threat seriously and protect yourself by removing yourself from the situation and calling for help, including calling 911 or a peace officer.

Avoid touching the person, and allow maximum personal space. Do not stand between the person and an exit, but make sure that you have access to a safe exit also. This reduces the perception of you as a threat.

Managing Potentially Threatening Situations www.cmha-bc.org March 2005

Speak slowly, calmly and quietly; do not respond to insults or aggressive talk but do respond to other questions with short answers so that the person can understand and does not feel ignored. Often persons in psychosis are experiencing auditory hallucinations (hearing voices) and cannot hear or deal with more than short, simple statements or questions.

It may be necessary to repeat yourself before the person can hear and understand you.

Managing Potentially Threatening Situations www.cmha-bc.org March 2005

Do not exhibit nervous or aggressive behavior such as crossing your arms, pointing at the person, standing with your hands on your hips, or making abrupt or quick movements. Again, this reduces any perception that you are a threat.

Explain what is happening – – not in terms of the person’s own experience, but what you or others are doing to help them. If the person is hearing voices, tell them that you cannot hear them but understand that they do. It’s okay to ask if they are hearing voices and what the voices are saying; this may help the person’s anxiety. Explain who you are and who others are who may arrive. Explain that you are all trying to help.

Proposed Model of Mental Health Services:

Counseling & Health Services Student Affairs

Proposed Mental Health Model

The following slide contains a flowchart of a proposed mental health model / system of organization for the UCI campus

– Ability to execute the model is dependent on campus support

Proposed Mental Health Model

HIGHLIGHTS of proposal:– One single point of entry / one telephone line

for all callers to remember for help-seeking / questions

– Collaboration between units which serve students in need

– Improved data tracking for students (re)entering, (re)exiting the campus

– After-hours service, including Proto-call, with the possibility of on-site after-hours service