At-Risk Mental Health Training
A page within Student Life
CONVERSATIONS CAN CHANGE LIVES
Have you ever been worried about a student or friend on campus? Faculty, staff, and students are in an ideal position to recognize when someone is struggling emotionally and may need help. At-Risk is an online simulation that lets you practice conversations with a virtual student using AI technology, so you’ll know what to say in real life.
UWL is making this program available to faculty, staff, and students to help create a safer and more supportive campus. To access this free resource, please click on the link below or contact any member of the Kognito Implementation Team for more information.
To participate in the At-Risk online course, please create an account with the link below. Students should select the "student" course. Faculty and staff should select the "faculty" course.
Information and Resources
Kara Ostlund, Dean of Students
Crys Champion, Interim Director of Counseling and Testing
Eugenia Turov, Faculty
Megan Litster, Faculty
Charissa Jakusz, Assistant Dean of Students
Coordinator of Student Wellness
Patrick Heise, Assistant Director of Residence Life
Sophie Byrne, Student
(2018). Evaluation of an avatar-based training program to promote suicide prevention awareness in a college setting, Journal of American College Health, 66:5, 401-411, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1432626
The At-Risk Mental Health for Students Discussion Guide is a document created by Kognito to assist in facilitating dialogue regarding their experiences and the material covered.
If you are looking for a facilitator guide related to the At-Risk Mental Health Training for Faculty and Staff, please click here.
If you are looking for a facilitator guide related to the At-Risk Mental Health Training for Students, please click here.
If you are looking for a discussion guide related to the At-Risk Mental Health Training for Students, please click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kognito is a company that offers many online learning platforms. UWL has opted to utilize the At-Risk Mental Health platform for students and for faculty and staff. The simulation is designed to enhance the mental health literacy of all individuals who work with distress. The interactive simulation provides practice conversations through role-plays with virtual students and may be completed at the user's desired pace. The simulation teaches users how to recognize the signs of emotional distress, initiate a conversation leveraging evidence-based communication strategies and how to make a referral to support services.
This training is used at hundreds of colleges and universities in the country and was created with mental health experts and educators. It is also listed in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center's Best Practices Registry.
The training requires about an hour to complete. The training is comprised of:
- Pre-training assessment (5-8 minutes)
- Self-paced simulation (45 minutes)
- Post-training assessment (5-8 minutes)
If you are unable to commit an hour for the training, the training can be "paused" at any time and will resume where you left off in the simulation.
UWL purchased that At-Risk bundle. One course is geared towards faculty and staff, while the other is geared towards students. We strongly encourage all individuals within the campus community to partake in the training.
All you need is a computer, reliable internet, and headphones (optional).