In efforts to mitigate mental health concerns, Penn State’s student government and Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, collaborated to create the Red Folder Initiative.
It is what it sounds like: a bright red folder outlining three steps for faculty and staff concerned about a student’s mental health. First, recognizing indicators of distress; second, responding appropriately; and finally, referring the student to the appropriate campus resource.
“The idea is, you don’t have to be a clinician. Anybody can see a student at risk for academic problems, physical problems, psychological or safety risks.”
Kate Staley, with CAPS, said some 10,000 folders were printed and distributed to every Penn State employee who regularly interacts with students.
So far, she said the feedback from faculty and staff has been fabulous.
“I think it’s been really useful also in providing them a sense of empowerment, which has been wonderful. I mean, that was really the point, to empower faculty and staff to feel like they know how to help students in distress.”
Chelsey Wood helped research and implement the red folder as part of the student government’s overall goal of improving student mental health.
“Students who are having mental health issues or have sudden crises in their life don’t usually ask for help," Wood said. "It’s really hard to be that student who has to ask the professor ‘Look, I’m struggling with my mental health. I need an extension. I honestly can’t handle this.’ Because they don’t think people are going to believe them.”
As a junior studying education and public policy, Wood said she’s heard from her own professors about how useful the red folder has been.
“I actually had an interaction with a professor who was really, really excited to get it," Wood said. "He was like ‘I really want to know how to handle this because I had a situation last year where I had a distressed student, and I didn’t know what to do.’ So it’s really cool to see that they’re ready for it, and they want to use it.”
The next steps? Staley said CAPS plans to put the folder online and expand the initiative to all of Penn State’s commonwealth campuses.
