Psychological Emergencies

A psychological emergency is any situation in which someone is experiencing extreme distress, is unable to cope with everyday life, or is in danger of hurting himself or others. The following behavior may be present:

Paranoia
Hysteria
Confusion
Stalking
Agitation
Delusions
Hallucinations
Anxiety
Disruptive behavior
Uncontrolled anger

Primary Response Team

Office of Counseling and Wellness Services staff
Office of Housing and Residential Life staff
Office of the Dean of Students staff
NYIT campuses: Office of Campus Security; Long Island residences: University police; New York City residences: 911

Secondary Response Team

Office of Strategic Communications and External Affairs
Office of Human Resources
Office of the President
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Objectives
New York Institute of Technology is committed to the health, safety, and emotional well-being of all members of the NYIT community. The intent of this policy is to protect and assist community members experiencing emotional distress and to create a safe and healthy living and learning environment on campus.

Notification
If you suspect imminent danger due to emotional distress, call 911. For all other situation where emotional distress is suspected, call the Office of Counseling and Wellness Services when a student is involved and the Office of Human Resources if the concern involves a staff or faculty member.

Procedures

For students engaged in emotional distress:

Seek help from a professional counselor through the Counseling and Wellness Center on their campus. (All contact made with the Counseling and Wellness Center will remain confidential, unless there is an immediate threat of harm to you or to others.)

For faculty or staff engaged in emotional distress:

Seek help from a professional counselor with help from the Office of Human Resources. (All contact made with the Office of Human Resources will remain confidential, unless there is an immediate threat of harm to you or to others.)

For witnesses (or those who suspect others of being in emotional distress):

Contact the Counseling and Wellness Center if a student is involved; or the Office of Human Resources if a staff or faculty member is involved.
If concern arises outside of normal business hours and contact the Office of Campus Security or the director of housing and residential life, if applicable.

For Counseling and Wellness Center staff:

Reach out to the student in question.
Evaluate the situation.
Take an appropriate course of action.
If deemed necessary, arrange for the student to be transported via ambulance to the appropriate hospital for psychiatric evaluation. (The student may be admitted to the hospital through either a voluntary or involuntary commitment process.)
If the student is hospitalized, contact the dean of students.

For Office of Campus Security:

Reach out to the student/employee in question.
Evaluate the situation.
Contact the dean of students.

For Dean of Students (if hospitalization necessary):

Consult with the attending mental health professionals, and determine appropriate steps for parental/guardian notification about the hospitalization (and the events leading up to it), with or without the student's permission based on the circumstances. (All costs associated with emergency transportation and hospitalization will be the sole responsibility of the student.)
Continue to monitor situation.
After receiving a copy of the hospital's discharge plan (to be provided by the student) and discussing the student's written psychiatric evaluation with the Office of Counseling and Wellness Center staff and the director of housing and residential life, if applicable, determine the appropriateness of the student being allowed to return to classes and to the residential halls.
- If the student is not granted permission to return to the residence halls, contact the student's parents or guardians (or emergency contact) so that they can assume responsibility for care.
- If the student is cleared to return to the residence halls and/or classes, obtain the student's agreement to adhere to all recommendations for aftercare/follow-up treatment as a condition of his return.
- Alert the student that the college reserves the right to require him to undergo a re-evaluation at a later date.
- Alert the student that the college reserves the right to alter the residence hall assignment of any student experiencing emotional distress to protect the student or the safety and well-being of any other member(s) of the community.

For Office of Human Resources:

Reach out to the employee in question.
Evaluate the situation.
Take an appropriate course of action.
If deemed necessary, arrange for the employee to be transported via ambulance to the appropriate hospital for psychiatric evaluation. (The employee may be admitted to the hospital through either a voluntary or involuntary commitment process.)