Vision

The counselors in the Richard Bland College Student Success Center aim to offer high quality and multi-tiered developmental counseling that promotes a sense of personal empowerment, academic advocacy, emotional balance, social well-being, and self-understanding among students.

Mission

To support and advance students’ well-being through counseling strategies which consider and address their overall development and movement toward mental clarity, emotional wellness and a position of strength and wholeness in the intellectual and social communities at Richard Bland College.

The following resources are listed for informational purposes only.  Students seeking referral services should contact the Director of Counseling in Room 208 on the second floor of the Richard Bland College Library.

District 19 Community Services Board District 19 is licensed by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to provide mental health, intellectual disability, and substance abuse and prevention services.

HCA Virginia This agency provides specialized behavioral health and psychiatric services to improve individuals’ coping skills and to assist with symptom management and relapse prevention.

Good Neighbor The services offered in this organization support individuals and families in achieving a life of opportunity, independence, and growth. Services include Behavioral Health, Residential, and Day Support that meet individuals where they are.

Half of Us This organization changes and saves life by decreasing the stigma around mental health and encourage help-seeking. Half of Us, mtvU and The Jed Foundation work to initiate a public dialogue to raise awareness about the prevalence of mental health issues and connect students to the appropriate resources to get help.

National Institute of Mental Health The NIH funds and conducts research to help answer important scientific questions about mental illnesses.

College Guide for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities This guide for students is a comprehensive resource for college-bound high school seniors and currently enrolled postsecondary students who struggle with mental illness.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline This hotline is available for individuals seeking highly-trained advocates who are available 24/7 to talk confidentially with anyone experiencing domestic violence, seeking resources or information, or questioning unhealthy aspects of their relationships.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline This agency comprises a national network of local crisis centers that provide free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Safe Zone Project This free online resource provides a creative, powerful, and effective way to raise LGBTQ awareness. It also offers ally training workshops.

Resource Center Offered at this center are services to ensure the physical, emotional, social health and equality, understanding, and acceptance for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) and HIV communities.

American Addictions Center The AAC provides a look at the landscape of LGBT and Gay-Friendly Rehabs, discrimination in the LGBTQ community, and the specific needs of LGBTQ populations.

Mental Health and Drug Abuse  Individuals in search of mental health and drug abuse treatment may visit this site, which outlines facts about occurring and co-occurring conditions and dual diagnosis treatment.

Suicide Facts from Rehabs.com   An American Addictions Centers Resource- This site offers little known facts about suicide.

Sober Nation This popular drug and alcohol addiction resource website provides a full directory of chemical dependency rehabilitation facilities to provide individuals with options they need to recover.

John Randolph Medical Center Wellness Pavilion Substance Abuse Program This Intensive Outpatient Program provides services to individuals seeking to achieve and maintain sobriety through learning new ways to cope with their addiction. Group and individual sessions are geared toward treating the situational stressors and facilitating recovery.

In addition to the above services, we have also gathered a list of Community Resources (PDF).

Accessing Counseling Services

Residential Students

As the first step in obtaining counseling services, residential students should contact their Residential Director.  The Residential Director will assist in obtaining further services as needed.

Commuter and Online Students

As the first step in obtaining counseling services, commuter and online students should contact their Learner Mentor.  The Learner Mentor will assist in obtaining further services as needed.

High Risk Situations

In certain high risk situations, other contacts may be appropriate.

On Campus Emergency:  Contact the Richard Bland College Department of Campus Safety and Police  at 804-862-6111.

Off Campus Emergency: Contact your local emergency services using 911.

Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, or Discrimination: Contact the Richard Bland College Title IX Coordinator, Ms. Lashrecse Aird, at 804-712-7141 or Ms. Takeya McLaurin, Deputy Title IX Coordinator, CSA Room 202
804-862-6208 (Office) or 804-712-7141 (Mobile).

Please Note: Takeya McLaurin, the Deputy Title IX Coordinator, should be your primary point of contact for any Title IX issues from January through March.

Suicidal Ideation: Contact the Richard Bland College Department of Campus Safety and Police  at 804-862-6111 or Dr. Evanda Watts-Martinez at 804-862-6263 (M-F 8am – 5pm).

Violence: Contact the Richard Bland College Department of Campus Safety and Police  at 804-862-6111.

Depression or Substance Abuse: Contact Dr. Evanda Watts-Martinez at 804-862-6263.

Concern for a family member or friend attending Richard Bland College

If you have concerns about a residential student at Richard Bland College,  please contact the Office of Residence Life at 804-862-6161.

If you have concerns about a commuter or online student at Richard Bland College, please contact either:

Available Services

Richard Bland College Counselors provide a safe and confidential environment in which students are able to share concerns that keep them from flourishing on campus.  The services offered in the Student Success Center are designed to assist students as they seek emotional balance and an overall sense of well-being. Counselors also help students deal with personal and educational decisions and provide guidance as they identify, understand, and address factors that either support or hinder their personal growth.  Counseling services, which is in the Student Success Center has a two-tiered approach.

Tier 1 (Low to Medium Risk)  

Contact: Learner Mentor or Residential Director.

• Challenges related to adjusting/transitioning into college
• Challenges related to relationships and/or roommates
• Challenges related to academic readiness or poor performance in class
• Challenges related to career choices and transfer major
• Challenges related to bullying or intimidation
• Challenges related to verbal disagreements
• Challenges related to home environments

Tier 2 (Immediate/Urgent Risk)

Contact: Director of Counseling: 804-862-6263 Library Second Floor

• Challenges related to stalking, sexual or physical assault
• Challenges related to active suicidal ideation  (current thoughts or attempts of self-harm)
• Challenges related to depression
• Challenges related to substance abuse
• Challenges related to eating disorders
• Challenges related to pregnancy

NOTE: Students who are in an active threatening situation, please contact Campus Police @ 804-862-6111. Tier 1 Challenges associated with residential living should be referred to the Residential Directors. Learner Mentors and Residential Directors will refer appropriate active Tier 2 challenges to the Director of Counseling Services according to the above information.

Possible Concerns

Below is a partial list of concerns for which students may seek out counseling services.  This list is not exhaustive.

• Self-esteem
• Communication problems
• Sexual orientation
• Eating disorders
• Substance abuse
• Anxiety
• Family conflict
• Significant losses (Grief)
• Relationship issues
• Depression
• Crisis situations (suicidal ideation, date rape, domestic violence)
• PTSD
• Adjustment Issues
• Transition Issues

Types of Counseling

Counseling services are offered in person as well as by phone or Skype.

Personal Counseling:  Counseling is a collaborative process that involves an exploration of issues contributing to or hindering a student’s growth.   Individual sessions are short-term and usually involves meeting on a weekly basis or as needed.

Group Counseling:  Sessions focused on student groups usually involve face-to-face interactive talking circles in which students focus on establishing an environment of trust and support while expressing their concern.

Couples Counseling: This service is offered to support students in relationships and provides assistance for couples who seek to identify and resolve conflicts and to learn strategies to improve and their relationships.

Consultation:  Counseling available to support students in need of guidance on a specific academic or social concern. Consultation services are held on a one-on-one or group basis in the Student Success Center and can be held in person or online using a variety of media formats. When appropriate, these sessions can include a student’s instructor.

Workshops:  Counselors are available to facilitate workshops with Richard Bland College Students or Staff. Individuals requesting a workshop should send an email to counseling@rbc.edu with the following information:

1. Name of the requestor
2. Phone number and email address of requestor
3. Type of workshop requested
4. Preferred date for the workshop
5. Expected number of participants

Confidentiality Policy

Any information shared privately with the counselors on campus is confidential and is not divulged and discussed with other parties. All written information is kept secured. Counseling records are kept separate from academic, disciplinary, and medical records to ensure students’ privacy and confidentiality. The counselors in the Student Success Center will confer with another counselor or an administrator on a student’s behalf for the purpose of coordinating services and addressing personal, academic or social concerns with the learner’s written permission.

The exceptions to the above stated confidentiality policy are as follows:

• When there is a substantial likelihood that an individual or group of students will cause serious physical harm to themselves or another person unless protective measures are taken. In these cases, Virginia law mandates that the parents of dependent students must be notified of the situation
• When there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is being abused or neglected or an aged or incapacitated adult is being subject to abuse, neglect, or exploitation
• When a request for information after a threat assessment team at an institution of higher education has determined that an individual or group of students pose(s) a threat of violence to themselves and/or others, or exhibit significantly disruptive behavior or need for assistance
• When a court order upon good cause shown or in compliance with a subpoena has been received
• When authorized federal officials request information related to national security and intelligence activities. By law, an official’s request for information may not be revealed to the client
• When legal advice is sought from Richard Bland College’s Legal Counsel
• When the parents of a minor (i.e., a student who is under the age of 18) request information

Social Networking and Confidentiality

The Counseling Center staff will not accept friend or contact requests on social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) from clients or students with whom they have professional relationships (including trainees and student employees). This policy exists to minimize the potential for online relationships that could compromise client confidentiality and the respective privacy of both clients and staff.

E-Counseling & Tele-Counseling Confidentiality

The counselors at Richard Bland College follow the confidentiality policies listed on this page when offering e-Counseling–digital counseling via Skype or Tele-counseling–counseling offered over the telephone. Students requesting e-Counseling or Tele-counseling services must read, sign, and submit a signature sheet, which outlines the conditions of services to which they have consented by their handwritten or e-signature. Signature sheets will be forwarded, per the student’s written request.

Online Students

To ensure that Richard Bland College online students receive confidential counseling services, special arrangements will be made for e-counseling or tele-counseling services. The counselor and the student will establish a time and date for an e-counseling or a tele-counseling session to be held.
Richard Bland College online students may also access counseling services through phone or SKYPE with one of our counselors.

Counseling Office Hours

Appointments for counseling services are generally available from 9am to 3pm.  To ensure that counselors are available, students are encouraged to make an appointment in advance.

Scheduling Appointments

To obtain counseling services, students are encouraged to follow the steps describe on the Accessing Services page.  If needed, a counseling services appointment can be requested via the following methods.

Phone:  804-862-6263

Email:  counseling@rbc.edu

We provide services to full and part-time Richard Bland College students at no charge.

The only times that we will release your information is when you give us permission or where it is mandated by law. Exceptions to confidentiality include reasonable suspicion of child or vulnerable adult abuse, imminent risk to your life or someone else’s life, parental notification if you meet criteria for involuntary hospitalization, or if a judge court orders your records to be released. Additionally, if you are under 18 and your parents request your treatment records we have to disclose them.

Counseling offers a safe environment for you to learn how to cope with a stressful situation or find healthy ways to adapt to an unfortunate circumstance that is negatively impacting your life. Additionally, counseling offers insight, emotional support, and awareness into areas of your life that are challenging.

Counseling services offered through Richard Bland College are FREE to currently enrolled students.

Richard Bland College does not offer psychological testing, prescribe medication, or diagnose mental health disorders.

Students experiencing a mental health emergency can usually be seen the same day.

You will meet with a counselor for approximately 30 minutes. During that meeting they will ask you some questions related to your history and what prompted you to make an appointment. Based on the consultation, you may be scheduled with a service through our center or referred to a campus or community service agency/organization.

Richard Bland College Counselors work from a short-term treatment model. Most clients are seen between 3-7 sessions.

The student who is interested in services will need to make their own appointment. They can call our counselors at 804-862-6263 or come to the Student Success Center 2nd Floor of the Library, Room 208 during business hours.

A link to area and community resources can be found here.