Counseling Center

Faculty & Staff Resources

Guidelines For Helping Students Obtain Urgent And Non-Urgent Assistance Through The Counseling and Testing Center

The following is a set of guidelines intended to be useful in making appropriate referrals to the Counseling and Testing Center. The guidelines address situations that represent a need for immediate action followed by those situations that do not represent an immediate emergency (Non-emergencies).

The Counseling and Testing Center is open for emergencies from 9:00 - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as 5-8 pm on Tuesdays during the semester.
If you have a student in crisis when the Center is open, please follow the procedures listed below:

Emergencies
In an emergency situation, it is important to assess the nature of the emergency in order to determine what constitutes an appropriate source of help, given the circumstances.

If a student is clearly upset, perhaps crying or disoriented, you can:

Attempt to talk to the student to find out information about what is going on. This may involve separating the individual from the group (if they are in class, for instance), talking to the person calmly and allowing time for the person to regain composure. If calming the person down does not seem possible or you have some information (such as suicidal thoughts or plans, inability to cope with things for the day, confused thinking and/or speaking, obvious intoxication or drug use) which leads you to feel a professional counselor might be able to help. 

  1. Call the Counseling and Testing Center at (404) 413-1641. Identify yourself as a senior staff member with a student in crisis. Keep the student with you.
  2. Ask for the counselor on emergency call.
  3. Identify yourself and what you know about the situation with the student.
  4. You and the emergency counselor can consult about what would be the most appropriate option(s) for the student.
  5. If you decide to walk with the student over to the Center yourself, please identify yourself at the front desk when you arrive at the Counseling and Testing Center, and state the name of the triage counselor with whom you spoke. If you have not called ahead, just ask for the senior staff emergency counselor.
  6. If you talk with the student and there does not seem to be an immediate need, you might suggest they go to the Counseling and Testing Center to set up an initial assessment interview to get further assistance in coping (See the section on non-emergencies below for further information). The Center usually can see a student for a non-emergency assessment within a week.  Emergency clients can be seen right away.
  7. If you want to immediately bring the student to the Counseling Center without calling first due to urgent concerns, follow steps 5 and 6 above. The on-call professional may want to speak with you a few minutes to gather information. The student will be seen as soon as possible.


If the student appears violent or actively self-destructive, you can call security at (404) 413-3333 as well as the Counseling and Testing Center at (404) 413-1641 in order to reestablish or maintain the physical safety of the student and other parties. If you want feedback from a counselor, let that person know in advance. It will be necessary to get a signed release of information from the student in order to provide any information to you.

The Counseling and Testing Center will provide appropriate intervention based on need. This intervention can range from a one-time immediate crisis intervention to psychiatric assessment and possible hospitalization.

After Hours--If You Need Help with a Student in Crisis

If you need help with a student in crisis during the Counseling and Testing Center's off-hours, please call information for phone numbers;

1-800-715-4225

Non-Emergencies

 

  1. A student's initial contact with the Counseling and Testing Center may be made by phone or by presenting in person to the Center.
  2. A student who comes to the Center for an assessment for personal counseling will be asked to provide information or a set of forms, both about the nature of the concern and other relevant information. When the forms are completed, the student can make an appointment for an assessment interview at their convenience. Normally, interviews are available within one to two weeks. If an earlier interview is deemed necessary, (i.e. this is an emergency or crisis), the student can ask for the emergency counselor.
  3. The student requesting service will have an opportunity to explain his or her needs to a professional counselor. The student will then be referred to an appropriate source of help either within or outside the Center.
  4. If you need to consult with a professional counselor regarding the appropriateness of seeking help at the Counseling and Testing Center, please call (404) 413-1641 and ask to speak to the professional on call. The Counseling and Testing Center is available to help you with your concerns about any student. A phone call can put you in touch with a professional who will be able to assist you.