Support Resources
Student Affairs is dedicated to supporting students' mental health and well-being. Departments within Student Affairs provide a variety of support: some focus on suicide prevention resources and training to help the campus community recognize warning signs and respond empathically to those in crisis, while others offer services and programming to build resiliency, connection, and hope.
We each have a role to play in supporting our community's mental health. Find out how to get involved or find resources.
KU Partnership Resources - Mental and Physical Health:
24-Hour Nurse Helpline:
For non-emergency advice, KU students can always access the Watkins Health Services Nurse Helpline at 785-864-9583.
Mantra Health Care Hub - 24/7 Mental Health Support:
Offers 24/7 free support to KU students from professional counselors.
Call 1-888-355-1294, visit mantrahealth.com/KU or download the app for access to mental health support and self-care courses
If you or someone you know is in crisis or has urgent needs, help is available 24/7.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Offers 24/7 free crisis support from trained counselors
Call or text “HELP” to 988
Online Chat: 988lifeline.org
Crisis Text Line
Offers 24/7 free crisis support from trained counselors exclusively via text
Text “TALK” to 741741
Treatment & Recovery Center
Offers 24/7 drop-in urgent care, crisis therapy & crisis stabilization unit available
Call 785-843-9192 then press option 8
Located at 1000 W 2nd St, Lawrence, KS
Lawrence Memorial Hospital
24/7 Emergency Services
Call 785-505-5000 or 911 in an emergency
Located at 325 Maine St, Lawrence, KS
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) therapists are available for urgent appointments on weekdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If a student needs immediate assistance, they can visit the CAPS office located on the 2nd floor of Watkins Memorial Health Center and request an urgent appointment. While there may be a short wait, CAPS will do everything possible to see the student as soon as possible. If they are unable to accommodate the student at that time, CAPS will arrange for alternative support.
Some examples of urgent concerns include:
- Experiencing elevated levels of distress
- Thinking about suicide
- Thoughts or desire to harm someone else
- Recent traumatic event
- The recent death of a loved one
- Hearing voices or seeing things that others are not
If you are in crisis and cannot come in for an urgent appointment, or are seeking help outside of business hours, please see our crisis support page for more ways to seek help.
Training Opportunities
Jayhawks Talk about suicide— even though it may be difficult at times. CAPS offers a 3-hour gatekeeper training, #JayhawksTalk: Suicide Prevention Training, for faculty, staff, and students to increase skills and confidence in providing critical support for students in crisis.
What is #JayhawksTalk? It is an experiential training to equip participants to:
- Know suicide warning signs and risk and protective factors
- Respond to students in emotional crisis and ask students about suicidal thoughts
- Lessen these students’ feelings of isolation
- Help these students connect to a professional resource
CAPS offers #JayhawksTalk (formerly Campus Connect) training sessions to the community several times per year and can provide this training for your group upon request. To request a training, email emily.kubalik@ku.edu.
Additional Resources
Suicide Prevention Resources
Educate yourself about suicide prevention work and take action with the resources below.
American Suicide Prevention Foundation
Building Resiliency
Resiliency is the ability to navigate challenges and bounce back from adversity. The Health Education Resource Office (HERO) helps students build resiliency through healthy connections, self-care practices, goal-setting, and stress-management skills.
Programs and Services
Daily Life Stress Management Coaching
This personalized program provides three one-on-one sessions (40-60 minutes each) with a Health Educator. Sessions are tailored to individual needs and may cover recognizing stressors, developing coping skills, time management, setting boundaries, and identifying support systems.
Animal Therapy Events
The Health Education Resource Office partners with local organizations to bring therapy dogs to campus throughout the semester.
Pause 4 Pups – Every other week at various Housing locations from 7-8 pm. Open to all students.
Stress Busting Study Breaks – Offered in the Libraries and other locations during the week before and week of finals.
University departments and student organizations may request therapy dogs for campus events through HED per the Animals in Buildings Policy.
Watkins Health Services (WHS) emphasizes the importance of both mental and physical health. During regular exams, nursing staff conduct a mental health screening to assess students' mental well-being and identify available resources for students who may need them. If a patient responds in a way that indicates they may benefit from access to additional resources, they can be connected with on-site Licensed Masters Social Workers (LMSWs) and Case Management services.
In addition to general health services, WHS offers medication management through two Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP-BC) for conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and substance use disorders. The PMHNP focuses on medication management and provides referrals for therapy and other support services as needed.
If you think someone you know may be considering suicide:
Do
- Take all comments about suicide seriously
- Ask directly, “Are you thinking about suicide?”
- Listen to the person and acknowledge their pain
- Help the person feel understood, and let them know that you care
- Refer to professional help
- If help is refused, consult with a professional
Don’t
- Let the anxiety of a “yes” response prevent you from asking about suicide
- Judge or induce guilt
- Promise secrecy
- Leave an actively suicidal person alone