Counseling Services
Faculty and Staff Procedures for Handling Student Situations or Crisis
Crisis Information for: Main Campus | SEC | Off-Campus Locations
Career Home | Referral Information | Consultations Regarding a Student | Crisis Response Team | Follow-Up
Main Campus Toms River
This procedure should be used at all times, day and evenings, weekdays and weekends, for the Toms River Campus. The SEC and off-site locations will use different procedures.
All calls for students in crisis should be made to the Campus Emergency number, x2200, or pick up any red phone on campus. Security will take appropriate action, which may include contacting a member of the Crisis Response Team.
On the main campus, call x2200 or use a Red Phone for:
- Medical Emergencies - Immediately designate someone to go to the Administrative Office to inform the Administrator on Duty or Security Officer of the emergency. The Administrator on duty will call 911. Do not leave the person in need unattended. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
- Psychiatric Emergencies (e.g., individual is violent, homicidal, suicidal, and presents an imminent life threatening situation) - Immediately designate someone to go to the Administrative Office to inform the Administrator on Duty or the Security Officer of the emergency. The Administrator on duty will call 911. Do not leave the person in need unattended. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
- Emotional Distress (e.g., uncontrollably upset or crying, verbalizing thoughts to harm self or others, and other behaviors or thoughts requiring immediate attention) If possible, escort the individual to Nancy Polonitza (x680 or x632) in the Counseling Office, Room 129 or, in Nancy’s absence, to Aileen Cartlidge (x677) in Room 130. If it seems that the individual cannot be easily moved to another location, send someone to bring the counselor or administrator to your location. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
Certain situations may require Security to utilize different protocols. The Security Officer will decide how to proceed.
- Medical Emergencies - Immediately designate someone to go to the Administrative Office to inform the Administrator on Duty or Security Officer of the emergency. The Administrator on duty will call 911. Do not leave the person in need unattended. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
- Psychiatric Emergencies (e.g., individual is violent, homicidal, suicidal, and presents an imminent life threatening situation) - Immediately designate someone to go to the Administrative Office to inform the Administrator on Duty or the Security Officer of the emergency. The Administrator on duty will call 911.
Do not leave the person in need unattended. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
- Emotional Distress (e.g., uncontrollably upset or crying, verbalizing thoughts to harm self or others, and other behaviors or thoughts requiring immediate attention) If possible, escort the individual to Nancy Polonitza (x680 or x632) in the Counseling Office, Room 129 or, in Nancy’s absence, to Aileen Cartlidge (x677) in Room 130. If it seems that the individual cannot be easily moved to another location, send someone to bring the counselor or administrator to your location. Stay with the individual until help arrives.
The SEC Information Office (x680) can connect you to SEC Security.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of these procedures, please contact Nancy Polonitza at the SEC in Room 129, x632.
Follow-Up
We want to follow-up with students who are in crisis. To help us accomplish this, please call Nancy Polonitza at x680 or x632 at the SEC or x348 (or x2495 – direct line) on the Main Campus. Leave your name, a phone number at which you can be reached during daytime hours and a brief summary of the crisis situation that occurred. If the student is comfortable with including his or her contact information, please include it in the message.
College Drive, P.O. Box 2001 • Toms River, NJ 08754-2001 • Call 732.255.0400