Staff/Faculty Mental Health Toolkit: Crisis Response, Trauma-Informed Care, and Self-Care

Providing university staff and faculty with applicable knowledge and tools for mental health crisis response is essential for creating a safe and supportive environment. There are rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among university students, and it is imperative that staff and faculty are equipped to provide compassionate and appropriate support to students in need. From understanding the signs of distress to facilitating access to resources and services, knowledgeable staff play a crucial role in creating a safe and supportive environment where students feel empowered to seek help when needed.

How to recognize when a student may need support

Academic Indicators

• Decreased work quality
• Missed assignments/exams
• Repeated absences

Physical Indicators

• Change in physical appearance
• Bloodshot/watery eyes
• Disorganized, rapid, or slurred speech

Behavioural/Emotional Indicators

• Expressions of severe anxiety
• Difficulty controlling emotions
• Seeming more withdrawn or animated than usual

Safety/emergency indicators

• Expressions of hopelessness or helplessness
• Written/oral statements concerning despair, death, or suicide
• Physical aggression towards themselves or others
• Disruptive behaviour that seems unmanageable

How to Respond

Supporting Students:

• Review the distress flowchart to help find the support that will be most helpful for your situation.
• The REACH guidelinesare a helpful tool to use to support your student's mental health. The REACH Guidelines emphasizes the importance of understanding and responding to mental health crises in a compassionate and effective way. It provides a structured approach for supporting individuals in distress and promoting their safety and well-being.

Supporting Colleagues:

• There are also a REACH Guidelines for supporting colleagues’ mental health and well-being.

Additional Resource:

• Mental Health Crisis Response on Campus toolkit

Trauma-Informed practice and care are essential in mental health support and crisis intervention as they acknowledge the impact of trauma on individuals’ well-being. By prioritizing sensitivity, empathy, and non-judgmental communication, trauma-informed approaches create safe environments where individuals feel respected and empowered. This framework not only enhances crisis response by addressing underlying trauma, but also fosters trust and rapport in all aspects of mental health support, promoting healing and recovery.

Trauma Informed Communication Strategies for Staff in Student-Facing Roles:

• Naming: Voicing your intentions
  • Example: "I wanted to check in and see how things are going with your coursework. I value your progress and well-being and I’m here to support you.”
• Benefit of the doubt: Acknowledging that you don’t know what you don’t know. Try not to make assumptions. 
  • Example: “I noticed that you didn’t hand in your assignment. Can you help me understand what happened?”
• Active listening: Ask open-ended questions. Give space for students to answer fully.
  • Example: “What can I do to help you excel in this course?”
• Contextualizing feedback delivery: Share why you are providing constructive feedback
  • Example: “I am committed to your success in this course, and I’ve noticed you’re having difficulty meeting assignment deadlines. Can we talk about what support you might need?
    • Adapted from the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health

Adopting a trauma-informed approach in the classroom is essential for staff and faculty to create inclusive and safe learning environments. By utilizing the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, instructors can offer diverse engagement, representation, and expression options, ensuring all students can participate meaningfully. Through transparent communication, sensitive content handling, and flexible assessment methods, instructors can empower students to succeed while respecting their mental health and learning needs.

Additional Resources:

• Teaching and Learning Centre: Universal Design for Learning
• Trauma-Informed Practice and Care

Self-Care is vital for staff and faculty members to support well-being and foster resilience, particularly when offering support to students in need or during crisis situations. Prioritizing self-care enables individuals to recharge and replenish energy reserves, reducing the risk of burnout and enhancing their capacity to provide effective support to students and colleagues. Practicing self-care after assisting others in crisis promotes personal resilience and emotional balance.

Recognize your limits

Your well-being is a priority.  When providing support, please remember:

• You are not asked to respond outside of your professional scope of practice.
• It is not expected that you respond to a crisis on your own, such as offering to be available 24/7.
• If circumstances are beyond your scope of practice or level of comfort, it is okay to acknowledge this and refer the individual to support services as noted above in the ‘How to Respond’ section.

Your Emotional ‘Piggy Bank’

Daily interactions act as deposits or withdrawals from our emotional ‘piggy bank’.  Self-care is any kind of deposit, such as doing things you enjoy, spending time with your friends, or learning new things.  Emotional expenditures, or withdrawals, can include providing support, painful situations, or having an intense/difficult conversation. What qualifies as a deposit and a withdrawal will be different for every person.  Be mindful of your bank account and participate in activities to keep it in balance. 

Create a Self-Care and Resilience Plan

Step1:
Review the below items and determine which one(s) may support your mental health and well-being. Focus on those that you feel you would be able to incorporate into your daily and weekly routines.

• Jounraling
• Volunteer for a cause meaningful to you
• Take a fresh air break
• Meditate
• Organize a games night with friends
• Have a healthy meal
• Turn off screens
• Read a book
• Listen to music or a podcast you like
• Other: ___________________________

Step 2:
List your top 3 items and plan when you will incorporate them into your routine.

My top 3 Self-Care Practices and Strategies/When will you do this? How? Who/what can support you?

1. ___________________________________/_____________________________
2. ___________________________________/_____________________________
3. ___________________________________/_____________________________

Additional Resources:

• Mental health and well-being resources
• Wellness at Work Events, initiatives and training