Ohio University's dean of students and other administrators introduced a marketing campaign for a new 24/7 help line at Student Senate's meeting last night.
Student Senate and Counseling and Psychological Services selected ProtoCall Services, based in Portland, Ore., as Ohio University's crisis intervention hot line. ProtoCall provides counseling, crisis services, or simply someone to talk to for stressed students.
When students call the line they are directed to the service headquarters and connected with a counselor. If the problem is urgent enough, the counselor can contact OU
officials to provide emergency services.
ProtoCall was available in late October, but now the university is fully committed to the service and is getting the word out.
A group of senators, including President Michael Adeyanju, and faculty recently visited the Portland facility to see ProtoCall counselors in action.
If a student calls (ProtoCall)
they're going to be in the right hands Adeyanju said.
Several senators were concerned about the costs of maintaining the service on campus, but associate vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi said the service fee is very minimal.
Funding for the service comes from the WellBeing plan and students without the plan will be charged, said Jeanne Heaton,
director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
Other senators were concerned about privacy. The university feeds ProtoCall extensive information about OU's demographics and background, but the service is bound by the same privacy guidelines as Counseling and Psychological Services, Heaton said.
They may ask for a name or Student ID but if the student does not provide them
they will still talk
said Heaton.
Officials hope the program will help remove some of the social stigma of using such services.
93 percent of students who test positive for psychological distress in screenings don't get help
Heaton said.
The university is launching an advertising campaign that includes posters in dorms, table tents in dining halls and information tables in Baker University Center.
Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith stressed the importance of getting the word out, noting seven student deaths last quarter, four of which were suicides.
There are issues that students are facing
and they need help. This is a chance to give that help to him
Smith said.
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