At UT, we are so fortunate to have excellent resources for student mental health, substance use concerns, and holistic wellness. We recommend that you take a moment in class to present these, or, better yet, invite representatives from the attached resource list to come introduce themselves and give a summary of their services. While putting this in the syllabus is a good idea, research shows that students are much more likely to reach out and get the help they need with a personal connection (rather than just giving a student a referral or resource, introducing them warmly to the care provider). You are in the unique position to be students’ trusted mentor and we in the Signature Course Team are here to help you help your students. Don’t hesitate to reach out for our support and ideas whenever you need guidance!
Sincerely,
Lori Holleran Steiker, Ph.D., UGS Associate Dean and Chair, Signature Course Advisory Committee
- If a UT student is experiencing mental health concerns, distress or challenges, they should call the Counseling and Mental Health Center Crisis Line 512-471-CALL (2255). It is a confidential service of CMHC that offers an opportunity for UT Austin students to talk with trained counselors about urgent concerns.
- If students, staff or faculty have concerns about someone else in the UT Austin community, contact the 24-hour Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL) at 512-232-5050. The BCAL line was developed by UT Austin in order to provide a central resource for those who are concerned about an individual and are not sure how to help them.
- If students have concerns about coping related to drugs and alcohol, please feel free to email the director of SHIFT, Kate Lower or the Center for Students in Recovery.
- The Healthy Horns site has all kinds of helpful Corona virus-related resources and updates. Specifically, the section Staying Well While Staying at Home has great suggestions.
- Kirsten Bradbury of UT’s Psychology Department has created a set of videos in her Self-Care Toolkit and Dr. Bradbury also has a great blog called Breathing Room worth checking out.