Plan for Managing a Psychological and Psychological/Medical Crisis

Adopted by President's Cabinet 6/25/19

East Georgia State College (EGSC) is a partner with our students, faculty and staff in the pursuit of both mental and physical well-being, good practices, and practical education. We are aware that well-being is a responsibility for everyone who has contact with our students. During the last few decades, college campuses across the state and country have faced frequent issues involving individuals who experience a decline in psychological health. The following is a list of common warning signs when someone may be experiencing a psychological crisis:

• • An individual is threatening to harm himself/herself or another person- making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," "I am going to kill him," "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born"
  • An individual makes plans to take his or her life- buying a gun or stockpiling pills
  • An individual is preoccupied with death, dying or violence
  • An individual is giving away his or her belongings without a logical explanation
  • An individual says goodbye to people as if they won't see him or her again
  • An individual is experiencing hallucinations, (seeing, hearing, feeling and tasting things that are not there), delusions (believing that he or she has snakes living inside of his or her body) or paranoid thoughts (believes that he or she is being watched by the government or everyone is out to get him or her)
  • An individual has trouble speaking clearly and organizing thoughts
  • An individual is experiencing mood swings (may be emotionally high one day and sad and deeply discouraged the next
  • An individual may suddenly get involved in risky and self-destructive behaviors such as drinking and using drugs
  • An individual expresses feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation such as bullying, harassment or recent assault

While we can hope for a limited number of psychological crisis to occur on our college campus, preparedness and proper response is key in the successful resolution of these situations. The Office of Student Affairs at EGSC in collaboration with the Office of Counseling and Disability Services will offer education and support on managing behavioral health issues for students. Faculty and staff will receive education throughout the year of general need to know information to prepare them for interactions in the classroom and across campus. Resident Assistants (RA's), student life personnel, intramural workers, housing staff, and athletics personnel may receive additional education as they may be more likely to come in close contact more often with individuals experiencing a psychological crisis.

Procedures for managing a Psychological Crisis Between 8:00 a.m. and  5:00 p.m. (Swainsboro/Statesboro Campus): 

If an individual experience a psychological crisis, the faculty member, supervisor or the first person on the scene will: 

• • Call an EGSC Counselor to assess the situation. The EGSC Counselor will determine if the GA Crisis and Access Line (Links callers with trained professionals who provide the most appropriate linkage to care for mental health crises, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse crises) needs to be contacted. If an EGSC Counselor is not available, call the GA Crisis and Access Line and notify the EGSC Public Safety Department.
  • If the individual consents, the GA Crisis and Access Line Counselor will assess the individual to determine the level of care needed to stabilize his or her symptoms
  • If the individual needs inpatient crisis stabilization services, the GA Crisis and Access Line Counselor will complete a 1013 Certificate to permit the EGSC Public Safety Department to transport the individual to the nearest Emergency Room.
  • If the individual refuses the assessment with the GA Crisis and Access Line Counselor upon arrival to the campus, EGSC Public Safety will document the refusal and contact a counselor from the EGSC Office of Counseling and Disability Services. The EGSC counselor will complete a 1013 certificate for EGSC Public Safety to transport the individual to the Emanuel Medical Center in Swainsboro and East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro for further assessment. The documentation from the EGSC counselor which may include assessments and recommendations will be provided to the Emanuel Medical Center and East Georgia Regional Medical Center Emergency Receiving Department.

Procedures for Managing a Psychological and Medical Crisis between  8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Swainsboro/Statesboro Campus): 

If an individual reports or experiences a medical and psychological crisis (a few examples include an intentional medication overdose, cut wrist or self-inflicted gunshot wound), the faculty member, supervisor or the first person on the scene will: 

• • Call Emergency Services by dialing 911 (EGSC Public Safety will be notified when 911 is dialed) and state the nature of the emergency. If an ambulance is unavailable, EGSC Public Safety will transport the individual to the nearest emergency receiving facility.
  • The faculty member, supervisor or first person on the scene will remain with the individual (or remain at a safe distance for observation purposes) until Emergency Services arrive.
  • The Director of Counseling and the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs should be notified of the incident by EGSC Public Safety as soon as possible but no later than 1 hour after the emergency plan was executed.
  • EGSC Public Safety will complete an incident report and notify the President
  • Please note that individuals who fall into this category will be medically stabilized before the psychological concerns are addressed.
  • The EGSC Counselor will follow up with the individual, if a student, within 24 hours.

Procedures for Managing a Psychological or Psychological/Medical Crisis on the Statesboro and Swainsboro Campus before 8:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. 

Call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line when an individual is experiencing a psychological crisis before 8:00 a.0.m and after 5:00 p.m. Dial 911 if an individual is experiencing a psychological/medical crisis. 

Procedures for Managing a Psychological and Psychological/Medical Crisis on the Augusta Campus

A Psychological Crisis on the Augusta Campus will be managed by Augusta University Counseling and Psychological Services by dialing 706-737-1471. Dial 911 if an individual is experiencing a psychological/medical crisis. Augusta University Counseling and Psychological Services will refer the individual to EGSC Counseling and Disability Services for follow up. 

****IMPORTANT NOTE**** in emergency situations involving students, the Authorization for Release of Information During Emergency Situations Form will be utilized by the EGSC Counselor or EGSC Public Safety Officer to notify the "Emergency Contact" of the situation. 

Public Safety Contact Numbers: 

Swainsboro: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.	478-289-2090
Swainsboro: Weekends and Nights	478-455-0125
Statesboro:	912-623-2462
Georgia Southern University Police:	912-478-5234
Augusta - Augusta University Campus Police:	706-721-2911

 

EGSC Office of Counseling and Disability Services:

Swainsboro/Augusta	478-289-2182 or 478-289-2039
Statesboro	912-623-2469 or 912-623-2438

 

Additional Support Numbers:

• • Georgia Crisis Access Line - 1-800-715-4225
  • Crisis Text Line - Text 741741
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255

Authorization for Release of Information During Emergency Situations

Student Name: ____________________________________      Student ID#____________________

Providing support to our students during emergency situations at East Georgia State College (EGSC) is a priority.  In the event EGSC believes it is necessary or appropriate to contact persons identified as “Emergency Contacts” for students, all efforts will be made to get written permission prior to the disclosure of information related to the situation. However, if at the time of the emergency, students are unable to give written or verbal permission to disclose information related to the emergency to their “Emergency Contact” due to serious injury, unconsciousness or other incapacitating conditions, the student, by signing below grants EGSC consent to release the information to the “Emergency Contact.” 

Student Signature____________________________________           Date: ________________________