Mental Health Peer Mentoring
Need Crisis Help Now?
Call Raider Cares at 937-775-4567
Call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Chat 988 at 988lifeline.org
Text Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 741741
Find additional hotlines
Find emergency and essential resources
Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department for medical emergencies
On this page:
If you would like someone to talk to about issues you may be experiencing, or would like to serve your fellow students as a listening ear, consider mental health peer mentoring at Wright State.
Getting Help
The peer mentoring program allows you to talk through issues with a fellow student trained to listen and give recommendations for how to overcome those issues … or just to listen. Sign up to meet a peer mentor. If you need immediate crisis help, please consult the community resources listed on this web page.
Discussions with a peer mentor may help you with:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Goal-setting and academic progress
- Grief
- Involvement/isolation
- Panic
- Stress
- Time management
Giving Help
You can serve your fellow students by joining Wright State’s peer mentoring program. You will play a pivotal role in providing essential support, including peer-based suicide prevention. You will help establish a culture of mental health care on campus that is free from stigma and long wait lists. The first cohort of mentors was trained in January and February of 2024, and training will be ongoing. Sign up for peer mentor training. This program is funded by a grant from the Wright State University Foundation’s Students First Fund.
Resources
Centers and Offices
- Career Services
- Clothing Assistance: Raid-Our-Closet is an on-campus, donation-based clothing closet with professional attire for all current, Wright State students.
- Counseling and Wellness Services
- Culture and Identity Centers
- Disability Services
- Enrollment Services (RaiderConnect)
- Food Assistance: The Raider Food Pantry at Wright State serves all students in need of emergency food assistance.
- Student Advocacy and Wellness
- University Center for International Education (UCIE)
- Writing Center
Concerns, Issues, and Policies
National Resources
- The National Suicide Prevention hotline is: 988
- Trevor Project (LGBTQ):1-866-488-7386
- You can text with the Crisis Text Line that offers 24-hour, seven days per week text contact with trained crisis counselors. Text "LISTEN" to 741741.
- The Ohio Crisis Text Line can be accessed by texting “4hope” to 741741. This text line offers 24/7 text contact with trained counselors.
Other Resources and Services
Self-Help
Visit the Self-Help section of the website for additional mental health information and resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the aim of this program?
- To reduce mental health stigma and prevent suicide.
- To raise awareness about campus services (e.g., legal support,disability services).
- To reduce delayed help seeking.
- To promote referrals to Counseling and Wellness Services from the peer mentors.
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How does the peer mentorship program work?
Certification and Training: By completing the peer mentors training and the QPR training, along with passing the required exam, you can earn certification and skills to be able to provide support to students on campus.
Becoming a Trainer: As a certified peer mentor, you will have the opportunity to train additional peer mentors. For your dedication and efforts, you will also be eligible for a stipend.
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What is the time commitment for participants?
- The peer mentorship training is provided over two days, with 1–1.5 hours of training each day.
- The QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training is for 60 minutes.
- The time commitment for the whole project is for one semester.
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Is there a certification offered at the end of the program?
You will receive two certifications: Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and Peer Mentor for Wright State certificates.
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Who can participate in the program?
In this first pilot round of the program, students from the Department of Human Services, Department of Social Work, and School of Professional Psychology can become certified to train others. In the next phase of the project, the program will be open to all students at Wright State.
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How are mentors matched with mentees?
Students in need of a peer mentor can fill out a form that will be directed to a general peer mentor email inbox. Mentors will be assigned based on a criteria to be determined.
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What topics will be covered during the mentorship sessions?
CALM Model (calm, assess, listen, reassure, encourage), barriers and facilitators of help seeking, stressors of college students, understanding our website, understanding Counseling and Wellness Services at Wright State, ethical duties, crisis management and prevention, creating a suicide safety plan, how to train other peer mentors, self care as a peer mentor.
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Will resources be shared?
All mental health and campus resources will be shared by the end of the program.
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Can participants continue their involvement beyond the initial semester?
Yes!
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Is there a cost associated with participating in the program?
There is no cost associated with participation and certification.
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How can participants provide feedback or suggestions for improvement?
Due to the pilot nature of the program, your feedback is valuable to us! A feedback form will be shared after the training and program end.
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When is this training happening?
Training will take place during the third and fourth week of January. We will send a When 2 Meet poll to all selected participants to decide the specific day and time.
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Do we necessarily need to train other students?
Yes! One of the best ways to learn a skill is by teaching others. Training other mentors is an essential component of this program, crucial for maximizing its positive impact on as many students as possible.
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How much is the stipend?
Stipend is $20 for training five other peer mentors.
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Who are our trainers?
Huma Bashir, Ed.D, LPCC-S, LICDC-CS and Josh Francis, LPCC-S, LICDC-CS.
If you have other questions contact hs6@wright.edu.
