For Faculty and Staff
As a University of Michigan faculty or staff member, you may be the first to notice when a student seems distressed or may be facing a mental health challenge. Recognizing the warning signs may help you support a student when they need it most.
Identifying a mental health concern
Mental health conditions can be hard to see. They are often less visible than physical health issues. In your role, you might notice signs such as:
- Changes in grade performance
- Excessive absences
- Changes in interactions
- Changes in personal dress or hygiene
Sometimes, it is hard to tell if a student’s behavior points to a serious issue or how best to help. If you are worried about a student, check out our tips for showing concern and offering support.
Helping a student in need
If you know a student who needs mental health support, one of the most helpful things you can do is refer them to professional mental health services. The good news is that effective treatment is available on campus.
Often, these services are covered by student fees and are available to all enrolled University of Michigan students. Available services include:
- University Health & Counseling, which includes:
- Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) offers counseling to support the mental health of U-M students
- UHC Medical Services provides a wide range of medical care, including psychiatric, from trained clinicians who specialize in college health
- Services for Students with Disabilities can provide disability-related accommodations for students struggling with all forms of disabilities, including mental illness.
UHC also offers resources to help faculty and staff create classrooms that support student mental health.
If you work with graduate students, Rackham Graduate School has a guide to support their mental health. This is meant for department and program leaders to manage situations with students in need.
Creating a mentally healthy classroom
Students do best in classrooms that are safe and welcoming. Here are some ways to make your classroom more inclusive for students with mental health challenges:
- Be mindful that students with mental illnesses may need to take more frequent breaks.
- Allow students to have food and drinks in class. This can help students with mental illnesses counter the side effects of their medication.
- Provide testing accommodations such as extended time or a distraction-free testing environment.
- Make yourself available to consult with students during regular office hours and via email.
- Demonstrate flexibility and fairness in administering policies and assignments.
- Approach each student with an open mind about their strengths and abilities.
- Clearly outline expectations for performance.
- Deliver feedback on performance, both positive and corrective, in a timely and constructive fashion.
For more information, refer to the Services for Students with Disabilities’ faculty handbook.
Protecting student privacy
It is essential that all mental health information be kept confidential. At no time should you disclose a student’s condition without the student's permission.
You should break confidentiality if you believe the student might harm themselves or others.
Mental illnesses as disabilities
Having a mental illness doesn’t always mean someone has a disability. Many people effectively manage their mental health conditions with a mix of medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes.
However, a mental illness can be a disability if it greatly limits a student's major life activities. Consider including a statement about disabilities in your syllabus:
- “Any student who feels that they may need an accommodation for any sort of disability, please make an appointment to see me during my office hours.”
Including this statement shows you are ready to help while respecting students’ privacy. You can add contact details for CAPS. You can also mention the Campus Mind Works website as a helpful resource.
Request for accommodations
Everyone experiences mental illness in their own way. Symptoms and needs can vary greatly. So, there's no one-size-fits-all list of accommodations for every student.
Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) provide accommodations for students when needed. To get services, students need to document their condition with SSD. A disability coordinator will then help them with needed accommodations.
Students registered with the SSD office and who met with their disability coordinator get a Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations (VISA) letter. They should give this letter to their instructors.
The accommodations in these forms don't give students with disabilities an unfair edge. Instead, they allow students to show their understanding of the course material. A student can request an academic adjustment at any time. However, it's best to make the request as early as possible.
If you have questions about an accommodation that changes an essential course requirement, you should talk to SSD or the ADA coordinator. If you have questions about the student's verification form, contact the staff member listed on it.
Mental health and academic difficulty
Students can struggle in class without asking for help. Many feel uncomfortable reaching out. Here are some ways to keep expectations high while supporting all students:
- If a student earns a C or lower, inform the student of the need for a meeting to discuss their performance
- If a student is absent, show concern about their absence when they return by asking if things are okay
- If a student misses class often, set up a meeting to talk about it.
Managing disruptive behavior
You might see a big change in a student’s behavior. This can include misbehaving or being disruptive. In this case, refer to this excerpt from The Faculty Handbook (8.D.7):
- If a faculty member encounters a student who is behaving in a disruptive or dangerous way in a classroom or other University setting, he or she first needs to determine whether there is an immediate threat of violence or other dangerous situation or emergency. If so, 911 should be called promptly, usually by someone else so that the faculty member can remain in charge of the class.
If the situation is not an emergency and there is no immediate threat of violence, the faculty member should try to calm the immediate situation, dismissing the class if necessary, and then seek assistance from:
- Your department chair
- The Dean of Students Office
- The Office of the Vice President and General Counsel
- The Department of Public Safety
If a student exhibits disruptive behavior over time, faculty may wish to contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Life to discuss the appropriateness of a Mental Health Advisory Committee review. This is a confidential process that will result in a recommendation to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Other support services include:
- Counseling and Psychological Services for assistance in determining how to best help a student who is experiencing serious psychological difficulties
- The Office of Student Conflict Resolution can provide more information if you believe a student’s behavior may be in violation of the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities
Caring for your own mental health
If you are experiencing distress or mental health problems, the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO) and the Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience offer a range of services designed to help staff, faculty, and immediate family members address personal difficulties encountered both at work and at home.