[CHPFacultyStaff] FW: screenings for first-year CHP students

[Katherine L. Beissner]

Dear CHP - please see the attached flyer and program description. This is a new program offered by Student Counseling Services that sounds like it will be very helpful for our first year students. Please encourage your students to take advantage of this opportunity.
Katherine

From: Holly A. Vanderhoff <VanderhH at upstate.edu>
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 12:05 PM
To: Katherine L. Beissner <BeissneK at upstate.edu>
Subject: screenings for first-year CHP students

Dear Katherine,

Happy new(ish) year!

I wanted to let you know that Student Counseling recently launched a new program, "UFirst!", that is now available to all first-year students in the CHP. This offers students a brief, confidential meeting with an SCS clinician to discuss how things are going for them in this first year and to help connect them with additional Student Affairs or community resources that might be helpful. It also allows us to do a brief mental health screening and provide early intervention and referral to ongoing mental health services as appropriate. Our goal has been to reduce the stigma and mystery around SCS and to give students a chance to check in about their wellness, even if they're not experiencing an acute mental health concern. Students can self-schedule online, which makes it more convenient for them too.

The CHP students received an announcement about this last week and Christina Dickerson and Ali Holtzaple are helping to spread the word. I've included our flyer here as well. This is entirely "opt-in" for students but we expect that the more that staff and faculty encourage students to participate, the more students will come in. I'm happy to talk more if you have questions or ideas for how best to reach your first-year students.

Thanks so much. I hope all is well with you!

Best,
Holly


Holly Vanderhoff, Ph.D. | 315-464-3120 | vanderhh at upstate.edu<mailto:vanderhh at upstate.edu>

Director and Division Chief, Student Counseling Services

Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Norton School of Medicine

Upstate Medical University

750 East Adams St.

Syracuse, New York 13210



If you are an Upstate student in crisis, please call BetterMynd 24/7 at 844-287-6963 or 988. Others may call Contact at 315-251-0600 for 24/7 crisis support.



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