MU Adopts Red Folder Initiative to Help Students in Distress

Millersville University's Center for Counseling and Human Development has launched a Red Folder Project initiative. First introduced by the University of California in 2010, it provides guidance on recognizing, responding to and referring students to resources when they are in distress and covers a variety of domains - academic, physical and psychological.

Over 20 university systems across the country have adopted this initiative, including Penn State; however, Millersville is the first member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education to distribute a physical version of the Red Folder and its resources.

"While the entire Red Folder is available for internal access on our intranet, we felt that faculty, administrators and staff would be better served with an easy-to-access hard copy, specifically when the distress level is high," says Dr. Lesley Huff, assistant professor and licensed psychologist at Millersville's Center for Counseling and Human Development. "Knowledge is power, and the Red Folder can increase one's sense of competence and confidence in recognizing an issue with a student before it escalates," says Huff.

The Red Folder will help faculty, administrators and staff recognize high-distress situations that require contacting crisis resources, such as MU police. It will also provide guidance on how to navigate sitting with a student who is at a moderate or low level of distress. The Red Folder outlines specific steps one can take when responding to a situation. It not only indicates how to help students but also includes tips for staying centered as a supporter, offering examples of things to say to de-escalate a situation.

"We hope that it will help faculty and staff feel more confident to recognize when a student is in distress," says Huff. "Sometimes the resources on campus may not be familiar to all faculty and staff, especially new members and adjuncts. So, the referral section helps to create a common understanding of the rich resources that the Millersville community offers to help students."

"We believe in the philosophy that college student mental health is not just a Counseling Center issue but a responsibility that is shared by the entire University community," says Dr. Joseph Lynch, director of Millersville's Center for Counseling and Human Development. "We feel that MU faculty, administrators and staff are in a unique position to demonstrate care and compassion for our students who may be in distress."

The Millersville Red Folder has already been distributed to most offices and personnel on campus who are likely to have face-to-face contact with students. Those who have not yet received it or would like to obtain information or a brief training on the use of the MU Red Folder should contact Lynch in the Center for Counseling and Human Development.

Employees who would like more information on MU's Counseling Center and Red Folder Project may visit https://millersvilleuniversity.sharepoint.com/sites/counsel.