Grad Help:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the purpose of Grad Help?
Grad Help sponsors a helpline available to graduate students in crisis. Grad students, who number 2 million in the United States alone, are an
often neglected sector of the public in terms of service organizations and resources.
These graduate students, however, represent America's future since many go on to become
our nation's leaders and professors.
Q. How did Grad Help get started?
The Grad Help helpline began as a service of Grad Resources and has recently moved to the
Kristin Brooks Hope Center.
The director of Grad Resources, Nick Repak, in conjunction with the Barna Research
Group of Glendale, California, conducted a national study in 1990 designed to uncover the
needs, pressures and values of graduate students. The results of this research indicated
a severe lack of services geared to address the needs of graduate students, leading Repak
to found Grad Resources in 1991.
Q. What types of help does Grad Help offer?
Please refer to our More Help section and our links to resources provided by Grad Help.
Q. What is the confidentiality policy of the crisis line?
The Crisis Line is operated by Boys Town National Hotline. They have very strict rules
concerning the release of information. The caller's number and location does
come up onscreen with each call. However, the information shared is only recorded in summary
form, referred to in the
case of a repeat caller (same person), tabulated only in generalities for the purpose of refining the services, and released
to no one (including universities, families or others) except in extreme cases
(such as death of the caller or upon their permission).
Q. How are the crisis line counselors trained in or sensitive to graduate student issues?
Counselors were trained through the normal course of manuals, seminars, and monitored instruction (along with
regular evaluation) as required by the Boys Town National Hotline. They and their trainers were also part of a day-long
seminar on the stresses and challenges faced by grad students. This seminar, and the discussion which followed, were videotaped for
future use in training other counselors. As callers began utilizing the service, there were opportunities for the counselors
to consult together on the issues that were recurring and to discuss together the best means of counseling the callers.
Q. What is the follow-up policy for callers?
Referrals include the local university mental health services, the campus crisis hot lines if they have them, community
services (when available), off-campus help, or emergency rooms if these are the only after-hours services available.
Q. What kind of information is shared with local services ? What kinds of local services are they talkingabout?
All partnerships discussed are between the Crisis Line and the local campus mental health services. No information is shared with them except at the request of the caller
(i.e., when conferencing in local support persons while caller is on the line). See also above answer regarding follow-up
policy.
Q. Since phone/address information (generally) pops up on a screen,
is this information recorded and saved in any way? Is it given out to anyone besides 911/local emergency resources if suicide risk is assessed as high?
No university administrators are given information about the caller unless the caller gives permission (some emergency
personnel are given general statements about the person if it is necessary to treat them -- i.e., someone has said they are
about to do harm). Grad Help does not archive this information and makes no attempt to "follow-up" callers for
future contact.
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