How to Help a Friend
Emergencies:
In case of emergency (alcohol or drug overdose, suicidal intent, homicidal intent, an unresponsive individual, etc.), call your RA, or, Vanderbilt Police at 1-1911 (from a campus phone, 421-1911 from an off-campus phone). Please have the address of your location available so that VUPD can locate you as quickly as possible.
Other Conditions:
For an on-going problem with alcohol and/or drugs, call the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Prevention at 343-4740, or e-mail alcohol@vanderbilt.edu to set up an appointment for a private consultation in which you will learn how to help a friend with a substance abuse problem. An appointment can usually be made within 24-36 hours of the phone call or e-mail.
:: Vanderbilt Resources
:: Nashville Community Resources
:: Symptoms Requiring a Trip to the Emergency Room
:: Immunity Clause of the Vanderbilt Alcohol Policy
Vanderbilt Resources
Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention
Psychological and Counseling Center
The PCC provides individual, couples, and group therapy as well as assistance with sorting out difficult situations. Psychologists and other counselors at the Center help with issues such as: depression, eating and body image, stress, grief, study/test-taking problems, academic major or career indecision, or anything else you want to speak with someone about. The Center also provides testing for learning disabilities or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
To make an appointment, just call 322-2571 (2-2571 if on campus) and we can usually make your first appointment for either the day you call or the following day (depending on the flexibility of your schedule).
Student Health Center
Emergency consultation services (322-2427) are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the regular school sessions. On-call nurse practitioners take phone calls from home (not on site at VUSHC), to assist students and RA's in making decisions about acute or urgent illnesses, injuries, and the use of emergency services. The Vanderbilt Emergency Department staff (322-0153) handles calls between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. In the case of obvious severe injury or illness, students should go directly to the Emergency Room.
- Alcohol and Drug Counseling (322-3414). Services are provided on a strictly confidential basis, and no information will be given to anyone without the student's consent.
- Student Health Center psychiatrists provide psychiatric consultation, evaluations, and medication. Alcohol and drug evaluations, counseling and educational groups are provided by specialists in this area. Counselors provide eating disorder evaluations, counseling, and referrals, and care is coordinated with the SHC nutritionist and physicians. Consultations are available for campus organizations, task forces, campus committees, agencies, housing staff, students, faculty, and staff. Call 322-3414 to schedule an appointment.
Office of Religious Life
A staff of chaplains represents several faiths on campus including Baptist, Episcopal, Jewish, Presbyterian, Reformed University Fellowship, Catholic, Muslim, and United Methodist. Each chaplain or director provides counseling for his/her constituency. For more information, call 322-2457.
GLBT Resource Office
The Vanderbilt Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Office serves the entire Vanderbilt community through education, research, programming, counseling and social events. Visitors are invited to use the Office's resource library for research around GLBT issues. We are always interested in expanding our resources and will strive to ensure Vanderbilt University has the most current information concerning GLBT life, gender and sexual diversity, inclusivity, and social justice.
The office conducts various trainings and events for the campus and larger Nashville community. Please contact us if you are interested in finding out more. In addition, the Office serves as a referral source for students, faculty, staff and alumni/ae interested in GLBT issues. The office staff provides confidentiality in all cases.
The GLBT Resource Office is located at 401 24th Avenue South. Enter the private courtyard (adjacent to the parking lot) through the archway and we are the small annex building to the left.
For more information call: 322-3330.
Nashville Community Resources
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- AlAnon. Al-Anon and Alateen Family Groups hold weekly meetings for the relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope, in order to solve problems associated with the family disease of alcoholism.
- Narcotics Anonymous
Symptoms Requiring a Trip to the Emergency Room
What constitutes an emergency/trip to the Emergency Room? Here is a list of symptoms requiring medical attention; call 1-1911 on a campus phone if any of the following symptoms are present:
- Not breathing
- Not responsive or unarousable
- Threat of harm to self or others (suicidal or homicidal)
- Blood or clear fluid from ears
- Combative
- Major trauma (severe injury, pain, bleeding)
- Other drugs ingested
Seek RA advice with the following symptoms:
- Minor trauma (cuts and abrasions)
- Continued vomiting
- Disoriented, difficult to arouse
Continue to observe and if condition worsens, get help
- Intoxicated but knows name, time and place
Immunity Clause of the Vanderbilt Alcohol Policy
A student who seeks medical help due to alcohol or drug ingestion will not be considered in violation of the Vanderbilt Alcohol Policy. This also applies to the friend who is seeking help for another. (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/student_handbook/alcohol#four)
Office of the Dean of Students | Vanderbilt University
VU#351508 Station B | 2301 Vanderbilt Place | Nashville, TN 37235
615.322.6400 | (fax) 615.343.3702 | Email: deanofstudents at vanderbilt.edu
