Mental Health Emergency

In the event of a mental health emergency constituting an immediate threat to self or others, call 911. For the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline please call or text 988.

Support is available 24/7 from our Counseling and Consultation Services (CSS) Center, 815-753-1206; During office hours, CCS can provide immediate support. After hours, callers have the option to immediately connect to a protocall counselor. This includes anyone using a TTY device. The CCS homepage also provides this info in an ADA-accesible format.

Faculty and staff can receive help from the Employee Well-being Office, 815-753-9191 or visit the Employee Well-being website.

You can also contact Employee Well-being to report any mental health or emotional concerns for NIU faculty, staff and other employees.

If appropriate, walk the student over to the Counseling Center located in the Campus Life Building at 545 Lucinda Avenue or the faculty/staff member to the Employee Well-being Office located on the seventh floor of the Holmes Student Center at 600 Lucinda Avenue.

• Express your concerns directly to the individual.
• Make referral in the presence of the individual and offer to accompany them.
• Watch for changes in behavior:
  • Significant changes in academic or work performance.
  • Changes in hygiene, speech, attentiveness or social interaction.
  • Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
  • Excessive drinking or drug use.
  • Severe loss of emotional control.
  • High levels of irritability.
  • Impaired speech or garbled/disjointed thoughts.
  • Excessively morbid, violent or depressing themes in written assignments.
  • Expression of suicidal or violent thoughts.

Concerns for a student's emotional well-being should be reported to the NIU Counseling and Consultation Services Center regardless of whether the student wishes to seek services. A Student of Concern Report should also be submitted via Maxient. Staff at the Counseling Center are available during regular business hours to consult with you on how to best handle a situation with a student. Concerns for the emotional well-being of a staff or employee should be reported to the Employee Assistance Program. Call 911 immediately to report any violence or threat of violence.