Crisis Services

During Working Hours: 

  • In the event of an emergency requiring medical assistance, call University Police 716-673-3333. 
  • Contact the Counseling Center directly 716-673-3424
  • When students contact the Counseling Center in crisis, they should make the secretary aware that they require immediate and/or same-day assistance

After Hours: 

  • Students can contact the Chautauqua County Crisis Hotline (1-800-724-0461) or the Suicide Prevention 988 Lifeline for after hours mental health emergencies that require a response by mental health professionals. 
  • Students living on campus may notify their Resident Advisor (RA) or Resident Director (RD) of the crisis, who may then decide to engage emergency services. (Contact Residence Life)
  • In the event of an emergency that requires assistance from the police, students should call University Police at 716-673-3333.

Other supportive resources:

  • Text HOME to 741741 for free 24/7 crisis support in the US https://www.crisistextline.org/
  • Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (1-800-252-8748)
  • Non-Crisis Peer Support daily 5pm-11pm Warm Line Call: 1-877-426-4373 Text: 716-392-0252
  • OMH Emotional Support Helpline (1-844-863-9314)- provides free and confidential support, helping callers experiencing increased anxiety due to the coronavirus emergency: https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/covid-19-resources.html

In most circumstances, the difficulties that students face can be addressed through the usual process of setting up an appointment with a counselor and discussing the issues concerning the student. However, there are circumstances when crisis situations in which immediate or same-day intervention by a counselor is called for. Emergency psychological services are provided to the campus community by the Counseling Center staff for such crises.

Examples of crisis situations:

  • having an immediate concern about safety, a current suicide plan, or having had recently attempted suicide
  • having a strong desire to harm someone else
  • currently being seriously hurt or abused or feel in danger of being seriously hurt or abused
  • being recently physically or sexually assaulted
  • having strange experiences such as hearing voices that others do not hear
  • eating, sleeping, and study habits have changed significantly for more than three days.
  • strongly considering dropping out of school

Counseling Center client information is confidential within ethical and legal guidelines. Information can only be released with the written consent of the student, except in situations where a student poses a threat of serious harm to self or to others, or in the case of abuse/neglect of a minor, or in the case of a court-ordered release of information.