To Emory Students: 

Creating a community of care and maintaining a safe environment are fundamental to our daily lives at Emory. Recent tragic events on college campuses across the nation have left us feeling saddened and concerned, and we know that our own campus community is not immune from the possibility of violence. Consistent with our vision to seek positive transformation in the world and in our own community, we want to remind you of the enormous wealth of resources available to assist those who may be feeling distressed. We encourage you to take advantage of these resources should you feel overwhelmed for any reason—at any time of the year. Those resources include:

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides individual, group, and couples counseling, as well as stress management and community outreach resources to assist students in negotiating emotional and interpersonal difficulties and to provide support as they matriculate through Emory University.  CAPS is committed to reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health services: http://studenthealth.emory.edu/cs/
• Student Intervention Services (SIS) assists students in times of crises, not only as an invaluable resource during emergencies, but as a source of impartial, judgment-free counsel for students seeking guidance and assistance through life's difficult times: (404) 430-1120
• Emory HelpLine For non-urgent mental health situations, you may contact the Emory HelpLine at (404) 727-4357 (HELP). The HelpLine is an anonymous, peer counseling telephone service that is open from 8:30 PM-1:00 AM, 7 days per week during the regular academic year (not including major student holidays).
• Residential Life Staff are located in every residence hall and provide students with a wealth of information about all the resources available on campus.  Staff members have been trained to assist and intervene at any time of day or night.
• The Office of Spiritual and Religious Life provides opportunities to enhance religious and spiritual life through prayer, worship, service, education, engagement and outreach. You can find the office in the DUC, Room 260E, or by calling (404) 727-6225

We encourage you to practice self-care by sharing your feelings and concerns with people who will listen and validate your experience, and to engage in healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, getting enough sleep, engaging in both work and play, and other self-care activities that help you maintain balance and manage stress more effectively. 

As a community, we all hold responsibility for our personal safety and it’s important for us all to be reminded of some safety tips. We encourage you to take a look at the recently published article in the Emory Report: Safety reminder: What to do if there is a shooting on campus, for some safety tips: http://news.emory.edu/stories/2015/10/er_take_note_safety_reminder/campus.html. 

We also know that certain situations require different, more specific information, training, and protocols. We are working with the Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) -- http://emergency.emory.edu -- to plan and present campus safety trainings that will cover a broad spectrum of situations. You’ll be hearing much more about these sessions in the weeks to come.

The onus for co-creating a community of care, and the safety of our community and each one of its members is a responsibility we all share. Together we can all contribute to a safe, caring, and productive community.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Onorato, Ed.D
Assistant Vice President
Community, Emory Campus Life

Wanda Collins, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President
Counseling & Psychological Services, Emory Campus Life