Crisis Intervention Policy and Procedure
The entire staff of the Counseling Center is trained to provide guidance, support, and counseling in the event of a crisis.
If an emergency occurs during business hours, call the Counseling Center at (203) 371-7955. Regular business hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when the university is in session.
If an emergency occurs after business hours, a Counselor is on call 7 days per week and 24 hours per day.
What is considered an emergency?
- A student has either directly communicated or implied an intent to fatally hurt him/herself or another, or
- A student has been or must be notified of a family emergency or traumatic event.
How do I reach a counselor in the case of an emergency when the Counseling Center is closed?
If you feel that a student is in danger of fatally harming himself or another, or he/she has been notified of a family emergency or traumatic event, follow the following procedures:
- Contact the student's Resident Assistant first. The R.A. will assess the need and confer with the Resident Hall Director on Duty.
- The Resident Hall Director on Duty will re-assess the situation and page the Counselor on call if needed.
- If the student is a commuter, call Public Safety at (203) 371-7995 and inform them of the nature of the emergency. If the student is in a critical situation, Public Safety will refer the student to the Greater Bridgeport Mental Health Crisis Line at (203) 551-7507 for connection to services in the area.
- If the student has means and access to harm themselves or others and is threatening to act immediately, call 911.