In a recent editorial, the Miami Student Editorial Board expressed an opinion on the new cell phone app recently released by the Student Counseling Service. As the staff associated with Miami's Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project, which funded this app, we would like to thank the Miami Student Editorial Board for its interest and attention to this important issue in students' lives. We are also appreciative of the constructive review for the Just in Case app and would also like to take this opportunity to address some of the reservations expressed by the board.
First of all, we share the concerns about the difficulty of downloading the app Ease of use was one of our primary requirements. We are currently working with the Mobile Learning Center to get the app incorporated into the Miami App, which will make the app accessible through the App Store. We agree the web address associated with the app is too difficult to remember. However, once students access the app and complete installation on their own phones (installation instructions are included in the app), there is no need to memorize the URL.
Second, it is important to emphasize that this app was not created to tell users how they feel, but rather to assist students in identifying specific signs of psychological distress they may have been experiencing. Our goal was to provide a tool, which could help students evaluate whether they might benefit from talking with a counselor. For example, it is not uncommon for a student to experience stress; a little bit of stress can actually be beneficial as it can motivate a person towards his or her goals. However, too much stress, anxiety, or depression can interfere with a person's functioning and it may be beneficial to speak with a counselor at that point. Deciding when to seek help is not always easy; the information provided in the "I can't cope" tab is intended to assist students with thinking through that decision. The app also includes various numbers to encourage users to contact trained professionals for help and simplifies that process.
Finally, this app is just one resource that is being used to disseminate mental health and crisis information. Information is also available via various other means including the Student Counseling Service websites on all campuses, informational magnets and pamphlets and the At-Risk online gatekeeper training offered to students, faculty and staff.
It is our hope that the addition of the new app makes the information more accessible to more students. As always, we encourage students to continue providing helpful feedback to us as we develop this and other programs and services. The Miami University Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project is funded by a Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Grant for suicide prevention on college campuses.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.