Mental Health Policy

About Mental Health

Mental Health Refers to cognitive, behavioral and emotional well-being. It is all about how people think, feel and behave. Mental Health can affect daily living, relationships and physical health.  Across the higher education sector institutions are seeing an increase in both the prevention and severity of mental health difficulties that students present with. Mental health difficulties can be triggered by many factors (social, political, socio economic, cultural, religious, and ethnic, gender discrimination, harassment, disability, past experiences etc.) The universities have legal responsibilities towards student’s well-being.  

Vision:

Creating an enabling environment for student’s to cope with the stress of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work, and contribute to their personal and professional development. 

Objectives:

• To establish Mental Health counseling corner in SBKWU.
• To create friendly atmosphere for students to deal with stress and maintain their mental health.
• To ensure exclusive facilities for the mental health and well being of students in University.
• To ensure improvement in their personal and professional life by addressing their mental health issues through counseling.
• To provide effective and accessible support to students to making reasonable adjustments as necessary.
• To engage with external partners such as health providers to promote and improve student’s mental health.

Out puts:

• Improved personality
• student well being
• Suicide prevention
• Increased student retention
• Positive behavioral change in personnel and professional life

Mental Health Policy:

• All Students can access mental health unit to get support during university hours.
• It is mandatory to all students to attend training sessions on pre and post-delivery depression.
• It is mandatory to conduct individual monthly tutorial sessions with their students
• Yoga and meditation  are mandatory for all students n daily basis
• Faculty members are requested to avoid harsh language that
• Any staff member or student seriously concerned of a student during university hours should contact the coordinator of mental health unit
• Students with special abilities can ask for counseling/Talking therapy to the mental health unit coordinator during university hours
• In case of high depression and anxiety mental health unit will refer the students to a psychologist.
• Mental health unit will ensure the confidentiality of students with support of faculty members.
• It will be mandatory for faculty members to be trained in counseling skills.
• Every faculty member will be closely working on issues related to mental health of students (ten students per for each faculty).
• University will make sure to conduct orientation sessions and training workshops on mental health for newly enrolled students and in general for all staff on regular bases
• University will ensure the referral of students to psychologists/therapists in case of serious mental health condition of students.
• University will ensure the confidentiality of student’s cases and will be responsible for ensuring privacy.
• University will be sharing about the services of mental health with students by displaying banners/cards/pamphlets on notice boards of all departments.
• Screening of individual would be done at the time of induction at SBKWU. Those individuals, who are identified with acute psychological condition, would be referred to mental health unit.
• Focal person from each department would be trained to identify students with significant psychological conditions in their respective departments. These students would be referred to MHU for appropriate management.
• Mental Health Unit on suicide prevention in SBKWU would also referred individuals with acute psychological conditions to psychologist for further management.

Referral and Management Procedures:

• Mental Health Unit would immediately provide Psychological first aid to the screened and referred cases.
• After initial first she would be referred to the registrar office in order to notify the parents/guardian/Family of the individual.
• The university medical officer would also be referred for further assessment and referral to an appropriate physician and mental health practitioner.
• There would be a mandatory assessment for individuals with acute psychological conditions. In the event that the university is presented with a verified report (i.e., by the concerned HOD, Faculty) they would require to attend professional assessment would be provided to the individual with resources to adhere to this standard in the future and to monitor their willingness and ability to adhere to this policy
• The cases with acute psychological conditions would be notified to the senior Management committee SMC and Vice chancellor by the registrar and MEDICAL OFFICE.
• The safety of the individuals (students/faculty/staff) would be the main concern for those involved and every effort is made to respect and protect their confidentiality, provided that their safety is maintained.
• A committee of office comprising at last one representative from the registrar office, university, Medical officer, MHC would be formulated.
• The legal office would coopt as and when required.
• The committee would be involved in decision making regarding case management and further administrative process.

Note: SBK Women’s University has contacted and requested the psychologists in Quetta to please support the institute in visiting the medical center as volunteers to evaluate the students for a better mental health building. They are willing and agreed, their visits will be arranged on regular basis every month.