Mental health issues are an increasing concern on college campuses across the country, with faculty and staff often a resource for students to turn to in difficult situations. In 2013, Step Up & Speak Out was created to assist university community members in understanding the resources available to assist distressed or disruptive individuals.
To ensure convenient access, and provide the most up-to-date information, Step Up & Speak Out was recently integrated into the KSUMobile app. As a result, the stand-alone Step Up & Speak Out app has been discontinued.
Download the KSUMobile app in the or on . Within KSU Mobile, Step Up & Speak Out can be found under the Campus Utilities.
Via the app, campuses have a response quide specific to each location. The response guide will assist with recognizing behavioral signs and symptoms ranging from minimal risk to urgent situations requiring immediate assistance. Additionally, all 91²Ö¿â students have access to a crisis text line and a 24-hour support and crisis call line to provide evening and weekend triage service and referrals.
The goals of the Step Up & Speak Out include:
- Increase awareness of and ability to identify individuals at risk for suicide or other mental health concerns among 91²Ö¿â students, faculty and staff.
- Increase help-seeking behaviors, by reducing the stigma associated with counseling and increasing awareness of available mental health resources.
- Decrease barriers to treatment by referring individuals to an appropriate resource.
- Further cultivate a culture of caring throughout the 91²Ö¿â community.
Step Up and Speak Out is a collaborative effort of Counseling and Psychological Services, CARES Center, the Office of the Dean of Students, and Police Services. For additional information, visit the or email CARES Center at carescenter@kent.edu.