Incident Reporting & Helping a Student in Crisis
Below you will find a basic protocol for determining how to proceed when faced with a distressed or disruptive student. In addition, this webpage has useful tips and resources for determining when students may be in need, and how to help them.
What Is Your Role?
Do you have a student issue or concern that you want to report? In the past you may have used the CARES Reporting Form to report concerns about a student’s mental wellness and the way it impacted their academic performance, or to report an incident regarding a student’s behavior. We are now using this webpage to help you determine the best course of action, and providing different reports to ensure issues are routed to the most appropriate people.
Emotions and stress levels can run high at certain times during the academic year. If you notice a student acting out of character, you may be able to serve as a helpful resource. Your expression of interest and concern may be a critical factor in helping the student re-establish an emotional connection with family and friends. Your role is to help de-escalate the situation, make sure the student is safe, and after the incident report to the appropriate college personnel. We hope the information included on this webpage supports you in your work with students.
Are You Concerned about Immediate Danger to Self or Others?
If the student is an immediate harm to self/others or there is a medical emergency:
- Call 911 and make sure to tell them in which part of the building you are located.
- THEN contact Campus Security at (603) 703-8487.
If the student displays behavior that disrupts the class such as outbursts, profanity, behavior that will not be de-escalated:
- Attempt to de-escalate the behavior (see tips below).
- Call Campus Security at (603) 703-8487.
- If applicable, submit a report.
- Ask the student to step out of the classroom to talk in private.
- Ask the student if they have a plan to harm themselves.
- Ask the student if they have a safe place to go outside of MCC.
- Flags include:
- Specific plans to harm themselves or others
- Specific references to harm done to them
- Reports of sexual misconduct, harassment, or abuse (report to Title IX)
- Flags include:
If you answered “yes” to any of these, please refer back to the processes in the “Yes” tab box.
If no immediate flags arise follow the steps below, remember to keep in mind to use neutral language and to encourage the student to use strategies and supports that have helped them in the past.
- Ask the student what they have done to cope in the past and encourage them to do those things now.
- Send the student to Academic Tutoring if it’s related to course work.
- Refer the student to BetterMynd, our online teletherapy platform, at www.bettermynd.com
- Provide the student with Beacon of New Hampshire (nh988.com) information.
- Tell the student about services on campus including Accessibility, Student Support, Advising, and strongly encourage them to make an appointment with one of these offices. You can connect the student to these resources via email, and also email these people separately afterwards to consult if helpful.
- Suggest the student make an appointment with one of the offices above, but make sure sure to reassure, support, encourage, and to follow up in a few days to see how the student is doing.
- If applicable, submit a report.
If no immediate flags arise follow the steps below. Remember to keep in mind to use neutral language and to encourage the student to use strategies and supports that have helped them in the past.
- Ask the student what they have done to cope in the past and encourage them to do those things now.
- Send the student to Academic Tutoring if it’s related to course work.
- Refer the student to BetterMynd, our online teletherapy platform, at www.bettermynd.com
- Provide the student with Beacon of New Hampshire (nh988.com) information.
- Tell the student about services on campus including Accessibility, Student Support, Advising, and strongly encourage them to make an appointment with one of these offices. You can connect the student to these resources via email, and also email these people separately afterwards to consult if helpful.
- Suggest the student make an appointment with one of the offices above, but make sure sure to reassure, support, encourage, and to follow up in a few days to see how the student is doing.
- If applicable, submit a report.
De-Escalation Tips
- Be empathetic and nonjudgmental. Remember that whatever a person is experiencing might be the most vital thing in her or his life.
- Respect personal space. Permitting personal space tends to diminish a person’s uneasiness.
- Use nonthreatening “nonverbals.” Be aware of your movements, facial expressions and manner of speaking.
- Avoid overreacting. You can’t control someone else’s conduct, but your reaction will directly affect the outcome of the situation.
- Focus on feelings. Watch and listen deliberately for the person’s genuine message.
- Ignore challenging questions. Disregard the challenge, not the person. Focus on how you can cooperate to take care of the issue.
- Set limits. Be clear and offer positivity first.
- Choose wisely what you insist upon. Be considerate in choosing which rules are debatable and which are not.
- Allow silence for reflection. It can allow a person to consider what’s occurring and how they need to advance.
- Allow time for decisions. Stress rises when people feel pressured. Allowing time brings ease.
How To Respond To Disruptive Behavior
Don’t ignore disruptive behavior. Remain calm. Remind yourself that this is not about you; it’s about the situation. If possible, have someone else with you.
- Try to have the student leave class, discuss privately.
- Suggest the student leave class and let them know you will be in touch about the work they will miss.
- Allow the student time and space to regroup, quiet room options are available in the Learning Commons.
- Remind the student that there are consequences to disruptive behavior, but do not engage in a power struggle.
- If you have concerns about potential substance misuse, ask the student to leave class to address the situation in private.
- If the student does not leave or can not be de-escalated, call Campus Safety.
How to Talk to Students about Academic-Specific Concerns
Here are some next steps if you have concerns regarding a student’s academic attendance or performance:
- Check in with the student, ask how they are and if they need specific support.
- If the student isn’t coming to class, email or call the student.
- If possible, help them plan for getting back on track.
- Follow up regularly to see if they are making headway.
- Refer the student to tutoring, which they can sign up for here.
- Put in an alert in Navigate for the student.
- Refer to the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, or elsewhere as applicable.
If you feel the academic concerns are connected to non-academic concerns related to external circumstances or mental well-being, see next section.
How do you approach a student who may be experiencing a mental health crisis, or you have concerns about their mental health.
- Speak with the student privately if possible.
- Let the student know you are concerned about their welfare. Express your concern by describing changes you have observed in nonjudgmental terms.
- Set limits. Explain clearly and directly what behaviors are acceptable: “I’m willing to speak with you as soon as you lower your voice.”
- Focus on what you can do to help resolve the situation; acknowledge their feelings.
- Take any statements of self-harm or harm to others seriously.
- If the student expresses self-harm or harm to others let the student know that you will be reporting for their safety.
- Suggest resources; help the student explore options.
- Point out that seeking help is a sign of strength and courage, rather than weakness or failure.
- Consult with others about your concerns.
- Make personal referrals. Give the name of an individual when possible. If you’d like to walk someone down, you can call ahead to brief the support person, or offer to accompany the student if you’re able to do so. Support staff may not be available at that time or on an as-need basis so you can help the student make arrangements for another appointment.
- Follow up with the student about your referral.
- Don’t ignore the unusual behavior.
- Don’t minimize the situation.
- Don’t get into an argument or shouting match.
- Don’t judge or criticize.
- Don’t blame, ridicule or use sarcasm.
- Don’t make physical contact.
- Don’t ignore your own limitations.
- Don’t make the problem your own.
- Don’t promise confidentiality.
- Don’t involve yourself beyond the limits of your time, skill or job duties.
Incident Reporting
To Refer a Student to the CARES team
If you have concerns about a student’s personal, mental health or general wellbeing that goes beyond solely an academic concern, this is the place to refer. In addition, if you have concerns about a student’s behavior that may be in violation to the student code of conduct, you can use this form. The CARES team will review the referral and invite you as the submitter to come to the CARES meeting to discuss the issues and decide together the best way to move forward to support the student. This can include situations where:
- A student has behavior that is disruptive in class and you have attempted to work with them and it hasn’t been successful
- A student has indicated significant mental health concerns that could touch on their own safety or the safety of others, and you want to make sure the team knows that they may need additional support
- A student reports information about another student that you find concerning; this situation should be referred to CARES
This is not an exhaustive list; if you have a question about whether a situation should be reported, go ahead and submit the form and the CARES team can talk through next steps.
To Report a Potential Incident of Bias or Discrimination
Manchester Community College, as part of the Community College System of NH does not discriminate in the administration of its admissions and educational programs, activities, or employment practices on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or law enforcement, military, veteran, or marital status.
To Report Potential Sexual Misconduct/Title IX
CCSNH and its colleges are committed to creating and maintaining a positive and productive learning environment. In furtherance of this objective, CCSNH prohibits discrimination in the administration of its education programs and activities based on sex including conduct that constitutes sexual harassment or other forms of sexual misconduct, as described below. CCSNH also prohibits retaliation against anyone who is involved in making or reporting of a complaint, or in the investigation or hearing of a formal complaint of sexual misconduct/sexual harassment.
For more information about Title IX, please visit our Title IX Resources page.
