Resource Guide for Responding to Distress
The Office of the Dean of Students handles requests from faculty and staff for a range of issues impacting students. With this in mind, in collaboration with University Counseling Service, the Office of the Provost, the Employee Assistance Program, Undergraduate Student Government, and Graduate and Professional Student Government, we created the Resource Guide for Responding to Distress.
When a student, staff, or faculty member is in distress, there are a variety of resources that may be involved. Campus Safety helps you understand the kinds of responses, including non-law enforcement, co-response, and law enforcement.
These front-line resources are a great place to start:
Student Care and Assistance
Phone: 319-335-1162
Website: dos.uiowa.edu
University Counseling Service
Phone: 319-335-7294
Website: counseling.uiowa.edu
Responding to individuals in distress
You don't need to know all the answers to be helpful. The most important thing is to listen and show you care. This doesn't make you someone's counselor and you are encouraged to connect to and refer to campus resources.
- Acknowledge the shared stressors facing everyone, especially during times of trauma and uncertainty. “I know it’s a stressful time, I feel it too…”
- Acknowledge that well-being and self-care are important, but hard to manage in competitive, achievement-oriented environments. “Our environment can be competitive but we still care about you as an individual…”
- Be accessible. Let them know you will listen and that you can connect them to support resources. “I am here to listen if you want to share challenges…”
- Promote the use of university support resources on your syllabus, employee handbooks, and through verbal reminders.
- Become familiar with how and when to refer individuals to university resources. You don't need to be or find the solution. Listen and refer.
- Follow up with the person after first contact to check in and offer further support.
It is important that you do not hesitate to interfere when you see behaviors that are reckless, disorderly, aggressive, defiant, destructive, threatening, and dangerous to self or others.
Report a concern
Always report serious or persistent inappropriate behavior to the Office of the Dean of Students, Campus Safety, or the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC) while safeguarding the individual’s privacy.
Keep Student Care and Assistance and the Threat Assessment Team informed of new concerns.
Various options for reporting are available on the campus safety website.
Responding to individuals in distress
| If an individual | Take action |
| Immediately Call 911 |
| Report the behavior of concern to the Threat Assessment Team 319-384-2955 • uitat@uiowa.edu Submit an anonymous report at: safety.uiowa.edu/tat |
| Consult for guidance or advice with UI Support and Crisis Line University Counseling Service |
| Consult for guidance or advice with Student Care and Assistance University Counseling Service Employee Assistance Program |
Indicates experiencing hate crimes, bias, or discrimination | Consult for guidance or advice with University of Iowa Campus Safety Office of Civil Rights Compliance - Discrimination Investigations and ADA Compliance |
| Consult for guidance or advice with Student Disability Services Faculty and Staff Disability Services |
| Consult for guidance or advice with University of Iowa Campus Safety Office of Civil Rights Compliance - Title IX |
Signs and Support
Individuals may come to you for a variety of reasons. So many resources are available, and you may be the first step in helping someone get help. Focus on connecting them with one of the resource offices listed, even if you aren’t sure it’s the right office. The staff in these offices are skilled in determining needs and making referrals.
Know the signs
People experience a range of challenges that produce stress. In more severe instances, stress may lead to distress or crisis when it begins to disrupt daily functioning.
Someone in distress may present changes in behavior, mood, cognition, or physical appearance. They may or may not say they are having problems.
Individuals in distress may:
- Appear irritable, sad, or confused
- Be unduly anxious
- Act withdrawn or disengaged
- Lack motivation or concentration
- Seek constant attention
- Lack personal hygiene
- Demonstrate bizarre, erratic, or concerning behaviors including references to self-harm
- Share presence of persistent suicidal thoughts, depression, hopelessness, or difficulty dealing with grief
An individual in crisis may also demonstrate actions that may raise concern for well-being and safety. An individual in crisis warrants more immediate follow-up.
Crisis behaviors may include actions that are:
- Reckless
- Fixated
- Disorderly
- Aggressive
- Threatening
- Dangerous to themselves or others
Changes in physical appearance
- Look more tired than usual
- Seem "flat" or drained of energy
- Have had a pattern of illness or being run down
- Complaining of physical health issues such as headaches/migraines
- Eating more or less than usual
- Drinking or using other substances more than usual
Changes in mood
- More irritable, snappy
- Appear more anxious and worried
- React more emotionally than the situation warrants
- Quick to anger
- Appear to be overwhelmed by tasks they found previously manageable
Changes in behavior
- More withdrawn
- Doesn't seem to enjoy hobbies/interests as they once did
- Difficulty concentrating
- Not performing to usual standard
Changes in how thoughts are expressed
- Struggle to see any positive perspective ("It's always terrible")
- Thinking the worst
- Personalizes situation ("They are trying to make things worse for me")
- Saying things that are confusing or irrational
Laws and codes
The University of Iowa and our community are governed by laws and policies that help guide behaviors and articulate when specific information may or may not be disclosed.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) permits communication about a student of concern under the following circumstances:
- UI may disclose personally identifiable information from an “educational record” to appropriate individuals in connection with a health or safety emergency. Information may be released to parents, police or others, if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
- Information can be shared with university personnel when there is a specific need to know and should be limited to the essentials of university business.
- Observations of a student’s conduct or statements made by a student are not “educational records” and are therefore not protected by FERPA. Such information should be shared with appropriate consideration for student privacy.
- Offices that are considered confidential according to their licensure and professional standards will follow their professional standards in prioritizing privacy when working with individuals. However, they will share information when necessary in the case of an individual being at likely and imminent risk of harm to self or others.
The Code of Student Life helps students learn and grow to become the best version of themselves.
The Code of Student Life establishes a framework to ensure our Hawkeye community achieves and upholds our goals and values. The university is committed to due process and fairness when applying these rules and engaging in the Student Accountability Process.
When a student becomes a Hawkeye, they agree to understand and abide by the rules listed in the code, recognizing that this document helps us maintain a safe, healthy, respectful, and supportive community, embodying the meaning of being a Hawkeye.
Examples of Prohibited Behavior
- Physical assault, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or domestic violence
- Threats that cause a reasonable person to be fearful for one’s own safety or the safety of others
- Intoxication or impairment through the use of alcohol or other substances to the point where an individual is unable to care for themselves
- Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other university activities
- Use, display, or storage of a weapon or destructive device
- Harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity/expression, and other forms of harassment
- Stalking, hazing, and disorderly behavior
Conversation starters for students and employees
Students in your courses or colleagues and students working in your office may approach you for help. This is a good sign that they trust you. As faculty, staff, and employees, sometimes we are so worried about saying the wrong thing that we don’t say anything. Many of us feel responsibility to do something when those around us are in distress. A source of tension for faculty and staff when intervening with others in distress is the common belief that we should somehow come up with solutions, provide good advice that fixes or solves problems, or convince students to take quick action.
Active listening
We are more effective when we are active listeners when talking to those in distress. Simply showing that you care and that you can connect them to the appropriate resources goes a long way.
Active listening involves:
De-escalation: Helping others reengage their intellects to their emotions, e.g. listening with a steady and slow-paced tone, keeping focus on a primary topic rather than getting lost and bogged down in a multitude of secondary and tertiary topics, or using questions to assist in thinking through options.
Minimal encouragers: Helping do the work of telling their stories by using small phrases such as “Tell me more,” “then what happened,” or “tell me more about what you mean?”
Summarizing: Helping them hear themselves by repeating back in small or larger statements what they have said, e.g. “You said you struggled?" or “Let me share with you what I have heard you say so far, you said...”
Naming affect: Validating statements by naming the emotions you sense even if they do not use the actual words themselves, e.g. “When I listen to you, I think I’m hearing how frustrated you are.”
Open ended questions: Encouraging others to dive deeper into definition and detail, e.g. rather than asking a closed ended yes/no question such as “Was this the first time this happened,” asking instead “Can you share with me all that was going on when this first happened?”
Connection to resources: “I may not know the answer, but I want to support you and connect you with the right resources on campus.”
The R U OK way contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging people to invest more time in their personal relationships. R U OK helps us be alert to those around them, have a conversation if we identify signs of distress, and connect others to support long before they are in crisis.
Getting ready to ask... Are you OK?
- Be Ready.
- Be Prepared.
- Pick your moment.
Start a conversation
- Ask the individual if they are OK.
- Listen.
- Encourage Action.
- Check In.
R U OK is a public health promotion charity that aims to start life-changing conversations to create a more connected world.
Summarizing
Summarizing what you heard and a simple discussion of what would be helpful to the individual can have a significant positive impact.
Assisting victims of sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking
Assisting individuals who experience sexual harm
Sexual harm includes any conduct covered by the university’s Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct, encompassing sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence or stalking.
Be up front about your ability to maintain confidentiality. Offering confidentiality you can’t keep will undermine trust, so know your reporting responsibilities. Most university employees are not confidential resources.
Communicate that sexual violence is never the responsibility of the survivor.
Without judgement.
Respect their choices. This includes what and how much they disclose, what services are needed, and whether to report to law enforcement or university officials.
Don't assume that physical contact, even a gentle touch or hug, will be comforting.
Ask if they have safety concerns.
Be ready to connect them with someone who can help with safety planning at the Domestic Violence Intervention Program or Threat Assessment Team.
The Office of Campus Safety can assist with safety concerns and provide reporting options.
Inform the student about confidential support and advocacy services:
- Domestic Violence Intervention Program/Rape Victim Advocacy Program
- University Counseling Service
- Women’s Resource and Action Center
- Office of the Ombudsperson
Follow through if you have reporting responsibilities. The policy may require that you notify the Title IX unit in the Office of Civil Rights Compliance within two business days.
For additional information, please visit the University of Iowa Policy Manual.
Who to contact
Who to contact
These front-line resources for students are a great place to start.
Student Care and Assistance
319-335-1162 / dos.uiowa.edu
University Counseling Service
319-335-7294 / counseling.uiowa.edu
Employee Assistance Program
319-335-2085 / website
UI Support and Crisis Line
Call/Text: 1-844-461-5420 / website
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call 988 / website
Johnson County Mobile Crisis Outreach
855-581-8111 / website
University Counseling Service
319-335-7294 / website
GuideLink Center
319-688-8000 / website
Employee Assistance Program
319-335-2085 / website
University of Iowa Campus Safety
319-335-5022 / website
Office of Civil Rights Compliance - Title IX
319-335-0705 / website
Women’s Resource and Action Center
319-335-1486 / website
DVIP/RVAP (Domestic Violence Intervention Program/Rape Victim Advocacy Program)
800-228-1625 / website
Printable Guides
Download and print these guides for handy reference.
Resource Guide for Responding to Distress
This comprehensive guide has several resources and guidelines to help you respond to situations that may arise.
One-page Reference Sheet
This one-page reference sheet provides critical information and phone numbers for responding to individuals in distress.