View of courtyard space outside of Vera Bracken Library

Counselling and Care

Student at Risk Support

If you know a student that is experiencing personal difficulties, mental health issues, or is struggling academically, we encourage you to notify the Student at Risk Support (SARS) team. This team of professionals responds to concerns around mental and physical well-being, security and academic issues, and can help students find the appropriate supports on campus.

NOTE: This is not an emergency service. In case of emergency, please call 911.

Frequently Asked Questions

To refer a student, please click the link below:

SARS Referral Form

Contact SARS if you feel the student is in need of additional intervention and support outside of what you are able to provide. SARS has the connections to get the right help for the situation.

Do not worry that you are over-reacting. SARS will assess risks and act to help the student as needed. And early intervention is often the key to reducing the risk of potential crisis.

Anyone can make a referral. Students, faculty, staff, family and friends are all welcome to contact the SARS team if they have concerns about a Medicine Hat College student.
The SARS team’s work is governed by Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) and the Post-Secondary Learning Act. These policies allow the SARS team to collect, use and disclose student personal information that directly relates to and is necessary to intervene and avert imminent danger to the health and safety if any person. It is OK under FOIP to share student information with this team.
If you refer a student to SARS, you can expect follow up by a member of the team. A team member will notify you when contact has been made with the student so that you are aware that the team is working with the student. Personal details of the support and or situation will not be shared.
 
  • Talking or writing about suicide or harm to others
  • Saying goodbye
  • Escalating intense, erratic or very inappropriate emotional responses
  • Giving important or expensive personal things away, such as a mobile device or computer
  • Loss of contact with reality including delusions
  • Talking about or doing physical or verbal abuse of others
  • Talking about isolating from friends and others – absence from classes, group work or social/sports groups
  • Talking about deepening personal depression, escalating anxiety and panic, feelings of drowning or loss of control
  • Talking about rapid weight loss - not eating at all or eating followed by vomiting Cutting or evidence of other self-harm
  • Speaking about plans to seek revenge or harm to others, or naming specific people who have wronged him or her

Refer a Student Refer a Student

Emergency Contact

If medical attention is required or there is a high security risk on campus:

  1. Dial 9-1-1
  2. Contact campus security
    ​ (open 24 hrs/7 days)
    Medicine Hat Campus
    403.529.3911

    Brooks Campus
    403.633.1165