The Student Counseling Center’s Red Folder Training empowers the UMB community to positively impact student mental health.
The demand for mental health training among faculty and staff is rising in higher education. As the world grappled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges of remote learning and increased social isolation left educators eager to equip themselves with the skills needed to identify and support students in distress. As campuses transition back to in-person learning, this need persists, particularly with a new generation of students who have adapted to remote education and now face the task of readjusting.
Nationwide, conversations surrounding student mental health have spread beyond the confines of counseling centers, including at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). The dedicated staff of UMB’s Student Counseling Center (SCC) is at the forefront of this shift.
Their response to the rising demand? Expanding access to their Red Folder Training.
Training to Assist Students
Developed by Emilia Petrillo, LCSW-C, the previous executive director of the SCC, the Red Folder Training equips participants to identify common signs of student distress, understand whom to contact in emergencies, and navigate mental health resources.
The SCC offers two sessions, one tailored for faculty and staff and another for students. This differentiation accounts for faculty and staff’s distinct roles, responsibilities, and legal obligations. The training for students focuses on peer support, providing actionable steps for students to assist one another. The student training also addresses the barriers students face when discussing mental health, such as concerns about confidentiality and the perception of professional consequences.
“Through the Red Folder Training, students learn how to consult with the Counseling Center if they have concerns about a fellow student,” said Jenna Silverman, PhD, executive director of the SCC, who leads the training. “It helps them understand that supporting a friend in distress won’t result in negative consequences for either of them.”
While the training centers on a community approach to mental health support, it also recognizes the pivotal role of the SCC.
Tierra Major Kearney, MS, referral specialist and outreach and prevention coordinator in the SCC, co-facilitates the training with Silverman. Major Kearney emphasizes that completing the Red Folder Training doesn’t make participants psychologists. Instead, they serve as gateways to resources and expertise.
“Seeking assistance from the SCC is still crucial in supporting students in distress, but we want participants to know that everyone at UMB plays a vital role in addressing student mental health," she said.
Over the past academic year, the SCC has hosted seven trainings, attracting more than 130 students, faculty, and staff. While the SCC periodically offers Universitywide sessions, faculty and staff can request private sessions tailored to the specific needs of their school or department. Participants who complete the training can earn a micro-credential or digital badge through UMB Student Affairs’ Learning Institute.
A Shifting Landscape
Since expanding access to the training, Silverman and Major Kearney have witnessed a noticeable increase in empathy toward mental health on campus. Compared to previous years, students now approach SCC information tables more confidently and are willing to engage in open conversations about mental health. Faculty and staff have also displayed heightened empathy, shifting from viewing mental health issues as disciplinary problems to exploring ways to support students in distress.
However, challenges remain. One significant barrier is the stigma of seeking mental health support, especially among high-achieving students who may perceive assistance as a sign of failure.
“A critical aspect of the training is debunking these myths and emphasizing the importance of early invention and self-care,” Silverman said.
Dispelling these myths goes beyond the Red Folder Training. The SCC’s comprehensive approach includes organizing Mental Health Awareness Week events in October and raising awareness during National Public Health Week in April. The center also collaborates with student groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at UMB and departments such as URecFit & Wellness and the Office of Sustainability. These multiple touch points aim to reduce stigma across campus while strengthening the bridge between students and the mental health resources available to them.
The Red Folder Training is a crucial component of this comprehensive approach. As mental health conversations become increasingly open, programs like the Red Folder Training act as catalysts, fostering a community-wide commitment to improving student mental health at UMB.