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Texas A&M University

Counseling & Psychological Services

Division of Student Affairs

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Texas A&M University

Counseling & Psychological Services

Division of Student Affairs

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Student Portal
  • About
    • Meet Our Staff
    • What to Expect
    • Location, Hours, & Contact Info
    • CAPS Service Model & Scope of Practice
    • CAPS’ Vision/Mission
  • Services
  • Outreach
  • Suicide Awareness & Prevention
  • Professional Training
    • Doctoral Internship
    • Doctoral Practicum
    • Master’s-Level Internship
    • Social Justice in College Counseling Conference
    • Texas Supervision Symposium
  • Resources
    • Concern About a Student
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • HelpLine
    • Response to University Tragedy
    • Self-Help
    • Distance Ed/Satellite Campuses
  • Emergency Resources

Response to University Tragedy

How to respond when a student, faculty, or staff suffers a death, tragedy, or accident

First and foremost, please do not hesitate to call Dr. James Deegear, 979-845-4427, Interim Senior Director of Counseling and Mental Health Care, or Angela Winkler, 979-845-3113, with Student Assistance Services to help guide you through this process.

Suggestions for the group impacted by the tragedy:

  • Share the information that is known. 
    • Please understand that with social media and other forms of communication, we do not always have all of the information.  In the case of a death, the family needs to be notified before information can be released.
  • Offer a future gathering space that may include:
    • A place to relax and feel supported.
    • Structured activities (letter writing to family, sharing of stories, pet therapy, etc.). Please contact Student Assistance Services regarding the process for sending letters to family.
    • Possibly inviting different professionals to help facilitate a discussion related to the grief process, such as a counselor from CAPS, someone that is faith based and connected to the impacted group, and/or someone that is directly related to the group whose presence would be helpful.
  • Share resources. These university departments play key roles:
    • Student Assistance Services (SAS): SAS offers support and guidance.  Though they do not offer university excused absences, they can help guide the process of communicating with professors.  They also help to connect with CAPS.
    • Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
      • CAPS has counselors available during regular work hours (8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday) for scheduled appointments as well as crisis intervention counselors if needed.
      • Helpline (979) 845-2700 is an after-hours mental health service that operates during the academic year.
      • CAPS counselors can go out to groups to help process grief and loss reactions upon request.
    • Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT): Anytime that the University Police Department is called regarding a student accident, hospitalization, and/or death, a member of the CIRT team responds and shares campus resources to those impacted.

These Grief Guidelines can help you in your leadership role.

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Counseling & Psychological Services

Student Services Building, 4th Floor
471 Houston St. | 1263 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-1263

P: 979.845.4427
F: 979.862.4383
caps@tamu.edu

HelpLine: 979.845.2700

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