Westchester Community College, State University of New York

Scope of Practice

Training

Prevention and awareness trainings are key to educating the community on warning signs of mental health struggles and appropriate ways of supporting those in need. The CARE Team participates in professional development and training opportunities through NaBITA as well as local, state, and federal organizations.
Sharing relevant tools and information with the College community is critical to the successful functioning of the CARE Team. Therefore, the CARE Team provides presentations and promotes evidenced-based trainings to SUNY WCC faculty, staff, and students. Some ongoing training opportunities are identified below:

QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer)
This training takes less than an hour, and could ultimately save a life. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is an evidence-based emergency mental health intervention for people at risk of suicide. The goal of QPR is to recognize a suicide crisis, interrupt it, and direct the person to appropriate care. Like CPR, QPR works to increase an at-risk individual’s chance of survival. People trained in QPR are taught to recognize the warning signs of suicide, which include depression, expressions of hopelessness, and talk of suicide. They are then taught how to respond.

Part of #ReachOut SUNY– SUNY is encouraging all faculty, staff, and students to take this free QPR crisis intervention training before the end of the semester.

Take the Free Training Online:

1. 1. Go to the QPR Training website by clicking here, or going to this link: https://www.qprtraining.com/setup.php
   2. Enter “SUNY” in the “Organization Code” field.
   3. Create an account using your @ suny.edu email address.
   4. Follow the instructions to complete the training.

ASCC: Supporting Students in Distress Training
The Department of Mental Health and Counseling Services offers a 1.5-hour training designed for WCC Faculty and Staff to support their students. In this training, faculty/staff will learn about the warning signs that a student may be in distress, effective ways to approach and support students, and strategies for connecting this student with appropriate services. This training utilizes scenarios to engage participants in the practical implementation of knowledge gained. Visit the DMHCS Trainings page here for future offerings.

Mental Health First Aid Trainings
Mental Health First Aid is a national program to teach the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use. SUNY WCC hosts trainings 2-3 times per year.

Awareness

The CARE Team exists to address concerning behaviors and situations that may pose a risk of harm to self or others. The CARE Team is designed to support individuals who demonstrate behaviors that may be early warning signs of possible troubled, disruptive, or violent behavior, and is not disciplinary in nature.

If you are concerned about a student, you are strongly encouraged to reach out to the CARE Team.
Refer a student by

• • Completing a Student of Concern Report OR
  • Sending an email directly to the CARE Team at CARETeam@sunywcc.edu.

Student of Concern Form

 

The referral process is NOT for emergency use. If a behavior is threatening, immediate, and/or direct, contact campus security right away at 6-911 from a campus phone or at 914-606-6911from all other phones.

For more information on the CARE Team, please visit our FAQs page. If you would like to have a CARE Team member present to your unit at SUNY WCC, please email CARETeam@sunywcc.edu.

Community of CARE

Life circumstances can be hard on everyone. If you feel safe and comfortable sharing your concerns with the student, approach the student openly about your concerns with care and empathy.

When a student is not presenting a risk to self or others, but may benefit from a referral to another support resource, do your best to connect them. Do your best to provide resources and connect them when appropriate to College and community support services. For example, students seeking mental health support be referred to the Department of Mental Health and Counseling Services: DMHCS Faculty/Staff Referral Form.

If you need mental health support, please visit Westchester County’s Community Mental Health webpage, or by visiting the Community Resources page complied by the Department of Mental Health and Counseling Services.