UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) reminds all faculty, staff and students at all of Penn State's campuses of the importance and availability of "The Red Folder" initiative.
The Red Folder initiative supports those staff and faculty who interact with students by helping them to recognize and respond to students experiencing different types and levels of distress.
The initiative does not ask Penn State staff or faculty to take on the role of a mental health professional, according to Stephanie Stama, CAPS assistant director for community education and outreach, but rather offers resources and best practices to communicate and connect with students by offering initial support and considering additional options that may holistically address a student’s needs.
"In times of change and transition, we sometimes forget about our basic needs, and The Red Folder offers reminders of simple strategies for managing difficult situations," Stama said. "In addition to supporting students, The Red Folder also highlights helper self-care to ensure faculty and staff check in with their own needs as they are simultaneously managing their own stressors."
Stressors are a common human experience, Stama added, and with this in mind, The Red Folder can serve as a resource to simplify and streamline the process of offering guidance when the helper may also be experiencing distress themself.
Certain types of distress require different actions and resources, Stama explained.
“The Red Folder initiative provides different colors associated with different levels of distress that students may experience," she said, "which will help faculty and staff conceptualize how to effectively offer support."
- 'Red' is associated with high distress that may involve risk or safety concerns, and means stop what you’re doing and focus on immediate support. Safety is the top priority.
- 'Yellow' signifies moderate distress where concerns may intensify if not addressed. In this case a helper is encouraged to slow down or pause to focus on offering support, but immediate action may not be necessary.
- 'Green' represents low distress, where a helper can continue their regularly scheduled activities because effective support can safely take time and consideration.
Students may also experience various levels of distress, Stama noted: High (red), moderate (yellow) and low (green). The website as well as the printed guide offer support and guidance on how to approach each situation — highlighting potential academic, psychological, and physical signs of a student’s distress and safety risk indicators.
The three-part toolkit includes:
- The Red Folder Learning Resource Network course, a 30-minute interactive course that can easily be accessed and referred to as needed.
- A physical folder reference guide
- The Red Folder website
The Red Folder website includes referral resources and contact information for all campuses. As changes take place, updates to resources can be submitted by selecting “Submit a Request” on The Red Folder website. Stama recommends people should review the course at least once a year for updates.
"Regardless of distress level, empathic communication is a common and critical thread for establishing trust and increasing the likelihood a student will follow through with referrals," Stama said.
For more information on The Red Folder initiative visit the training page and the campus resource page of The Red Folder website.