In the midst of challenges and preparations that accompany the beginning of an academic semester, there have recently been several incidents of disaster on local, national, and international levels that undoubtedly have impacted us.
Student Counseling Services and its student organization, Active Minds, offer deepest condolences to those affected by the Academy Crossing apartment fire in Starkville, the loss of four Mississippi University for Women students by fire in Alabama, and the Haiti earthquake.
While Student Counseling Services places priority on servicing MSU students, we recognize that there are times when our reach will need to extend much farther than the borders of campus. Student Counseling Services has been contacted regarding mental health emergency services and response for these incidents.
In keeping with our outreach initiatives, we are providing resources on ways to support students who have been affected directly or indirectly by disaster, ways to aid and respond to global crisis and the importance of self care during times of tragedy.
Information regarding volunteer opportunities in Haiti is also provided below.
If interested, Student Counseling Services can provide consultation for pre-deployment and cross-cultural outreach, as well as de-briefing upon return. Resources are as follows:
Haiti Earthquake Outreach Effort
www.amcdaca.org/amcd/haiti.cfm
Haiti Earthquake Resource Web Sites
www.amcdaca.org/amcd/haitiwebsites.cfm
Managing Traumatic Stress in Wake of Haiti Earthquake
Managing your Distress about the Earthquake from Afar
www.apa.org/helpcenter/distress-earthquake.aspx
Stress and Haitian-Americans after the Quake (Podcast)
www.counseling.org/Counselors/TP/PodcastsHome/CT2.aspx#16
Symptoms of Psychological and Emotional Distress in the Aftermath of Disaster
www.amcdaca.org/amcd/HaitiSymptoms.pdf
Volunteering in Haiti: Guidelines and Registration Form