What is a Crisis?
In most circumstances, the difficulties that students face can be addressed through the usual process of setting up an appointment with a counselor and discussing the issues concerning the student. However, there are circumstances when crisis situations in which immediate or same-day intervention by a counselor is called for. Emergency psychological services are provided to the campus community by the Counseling Center staff for such crises.
Examples of crisis situations:
- having an immediate concern about safety, a current suicide plan, or having had recently attempted suicide
- having a strong desire to harm someone else
- currently being seriously hurt or abused or feel in danger of being seriously hurt or abused
- being recently physically or sexually assaulted
- having strange experiences such as hearing voices that others do not hear
- eating, sleeping, and study habits have changed significantly for more than three days.
- strongly considering dropping out of school
During Working Hours:
- In the event of an emergency requiring medical assistance, call University Police 716-673-3333.
- Contact the Counseling Center directly 716-673-3424
- When students contact the Counseling Center in crisis, they should make the secretary aware that they require immediate and/or same-day assistance
After Hours:
- Students can contact the Chautauqua County Crisis Hotline (1-800-724-0461) or the Suicide Prevention 988 Lifeline for after hours mental health emergencies that require a response by mental health professionals.
- Students living on campus may notify their Resident Advisor (RA) or Resident Director (RD) of the crisis, who may then decide to engage emergency services. (Contact Residence Life)
- In the event of an emergency that requires assistance from the police, students should call University Police at 716-673-3333.
Other supportive resources:
- Text HOME to 741741 for free 24/7 crisis support in the US https://www.crisistextline.org/
- Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (1-800-252-8748)
- Non-Crisis Peer Support daily 5pm-11pm Warm Line Call: 1-877-426-4373 Text: 716-392-0252
- OMH Emotional Support Helpline (1-844-863-9314)- provides free and confidential support, helping callers experiencing increased anxiety due to the coronavirus emergency: https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/covid-19-resources.html
Counseling Center client information is confidential within ethical and legal guidelines. Information can only be released with the written consent of the student, except in situations where a student poses a threat of serious harm to self or to others, or in the case of abuse/neglect of a minor, or in the case of a court-ordered release of information.