Mental Health Matters: New and existing resources for students
The SUNY system partnered this year with the New York State Office for Mental Health to create new resources to support students facing stress, anxiety, depression and related issues. These services, including a suicide-intervention training, a student-staffed hotline and a 24/7 crisis text line, are described in more detail below.
New Paltz students have many options, both from SUNY and from the College, for getting emergency assistance in a crisis or just finding someone to talk to. Please know that you don’t need to face mental health challenges alone.
In addition to the new SUNY offerings, resources at New Paltz include the Psychological Counseling Center, the Let’s Talk walk-in consultation program, the Student Resilience Advocates and the Oasis and Haven peer-support lines on our campus, among others.
In the event of a mental health emergency, please call (845) 257-2920 during business hours to be connected with a counselor, or call (845) 257-2222 during evening or weekend hours and ask to speak with the Emergency Counselor for Student Consult (ECSC).
New Mental Health Resources from SUNY
- Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) Training
All students, faculty and staff are invited to take advantage of this free, one-hour, online training, which provides evidence-based emergency intervention techniques for people who are at risk of suicide. QPR training equips us all with tools to recognize when a friend or colleague may be facing a crisis, and then to interrupt the crisis and direct the person to appropriate care.
Use this link to set up your account and begin the training (use organization name: SUNY), or click here for more information about the QPR Institute.
- SUNY Crisis Text Line – Text “Got5U” to 741741
This 24/7 service makes it easy for students to reach out when they are experiencing loneliness, stress, depression, or thoughts of suicide. This service, which connects students with counselors trained to build rapport, focus on goals and come up with solutions, is ideal for those who find it more convenient to communicate via text.
- Peer-to-Peer Assistance Hotline – Call (518) 442-5777
The University at Albany’s Middle Earth Assistance Program is making its student-staffed hotline available throughout the SUNY system. Peer counselors can assess a caller’s well-being, and if necessary, link students to appropriate mental health services. Students do not need to be in crisis to use this hotline.
The Hotline is open from 1 p.m. – midnight, Monday – Thursday, and 24-hours-a-day, Friday – Sunday, when classes are in session during the academic year.
As always, New Paltz students are welcome to call the Psychological Counseling Center at (845) 257-2920 during business hours to schedule a formal appointment with a counselor. Services will be provided by phone or tele-counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic.