College can be an exciting and fulfilling time of life, but it can also present challenges that can overwhelm a student’s ability to cope. As a parent or family member, it can be hard to know whether you should actively intervene to help resolve issues for your student or stand back and allow them to handle things independently.
Counseling Services staff can help you and your student clarify whether what they are experiencing is healthy and developmental or represents a concern that could benefit from or require professional treatment.
If a student is imminently suicidal or endangering their life, immediate action will be necessary.
However, there are often gray areas where a student may be resistant to the involvement of professional services. In such a case, a counselor can help you figure out how to talk with your student about your concerns and, when indicated, encourage the scheduling of an appointment at the counseling center.
If you have general questions about to help your student access services please call us at 401-598-1016.
Students 18 and over are legally considered adults. Therefore, we request that the student schedule their own appointments. While we can talk with you about your concern for your student, ethical and legal requirements for confidentiality require that we would only be able to share specific information about your student’s attendance at sessions, issues or treatment recommendations only if they have signed a written release allowing us to do so.
There are many things you can do before college to ensure your student's successful transition to university life. Counseling Services does not provide long term care. If you have concerns about your students mental health, or if there are ongoing psychiatric issues that require long-term counseling, contact us in advance for referrals for local psychiatry, community counselors or other treatment providers.
Additionally, it may be helpful to:
Counseling cannot be mandated or required for students. For counseling to be effective it must be voluntary. In life-threatening situations, authorities at JWU may require a safety assessment for a student. We do not provide court-ordered treatment or counseling that is involved with litigation.
Counseling Services provides coverage throughout the day so that students in crisis may be assisted immediately. Consulting with a staff member at this time may prevent the situation from developing into a more severe problem.
During business hours, call Counseling Services at 401-598-1016. After business hours, call Safety and Security at 401-598-1103