Student Support Specialists: How We Can Help

This means that, while they can listen and guide you through difficulties you may be experiencing with your physical or mental health, they are not licensed practitioners. 

Student Support Specialists are trained and certified in a number of areas such as Mental Health First Aid, Suicide Prevention, NABITA Risk Assessment, Student Support Services and many more!

A mandated reporter is an individual designated by Massachusetts State law as required to report, or cause a report to be made, of Child Abuse or Neglect. For this policy, all Wentworth employees and volunteers serving as authorized Adults are mandatory reporters under Massachusetts law.3.

To learn more about what being a mandated reporter and how it works at the university, please click here.

When a student reaches the age of 18, or begins attending a post-secondary institution regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer to the student. Therefore, with the exception of a crisis situation, the Dean of Students Office shares information about student concerns only on a need-to-know basis to the extent permitted by FERPA.

Click here to view the university's FERPA policy.

The university's CARE Team works collaboratively to manage our CARE Referral reporting feature. As a part of this team, Student Support Specialists actively review, assess, and develop outreach/support plans for referrals received.

To learn more about what a CARE Referral is and who is on that team, please click here. 

Student Support Specialists are not confidential employees. This means that, while we will always respect a student's privacy, we will notify need-to-know staff and report accordingly if:

• there is a concern about imminent harm to self or others 
• a serious violation of Wentworth, state, or federal laws
• reports of discrimination, sexual assault, violence and/or harassment
• the information concerns the neglect or abuse of someone who is a minor, elderly, or disabled

You can connect with a Support Specialist with any question you may have, but sometimes, Support Specialists are not the resource who can help you most effectively. Support Specialists work to make direct referrals between students and other staff, departments, and services on campus who can provide the most relevant information and support. 

Students who are going to be absent from class for an extended period of time (hospitalization, serious illness or injury, bereavement, jury duty) may submit an absence notification form. The Dean of Students Office will notify your faculty and assist you with your return to campus. Absence Notifications DO NOT excuse any absences; that is still up to the discretion of the faculty. It does, however, show that the student is getting support from our office. 

You may submit an Absence Notification Request by clicking here.

Here is the link to more information about Absence Notifications: Absence Notifications

Support Specialists work 1-1 with students who are also experiencing financial hardship or have been impacted financially due to an emergency situation. They work in partnership with the Financial Aid office to assess the student's need and make the necessary connections to hardship resources, on campus and externally, to ease the burden and stress of financial hardship.

Click here, to learn more about the Financial Hardship resources we have on campus.

Support specialists are here to listen to and support you during your time at Wentworth. Support Specialists understand that inevitable challenges inside or outside of Wentworth will come up during your time as a student. Support Specialists act as the liaison between the student and the challenge and can advocate on behalf of the student if necessary. Support Specialists help student navigate through include time management, difficulty with transitioning to college, medical illness or injury, emotional distress, financial hardship, etc.

Student Support Specialists can work one-on-one with students to aid in skill development. Some examples of this are organization skills, stress management, goal setting, and self-advocacy.

Student Support Specialists offer non-clinical support, which means they are not certified mental health clinicians and do not provide mental health treatment. However, they can listen and guide you through difficulty and stress. They are also here to help navigate you towards the path of clinical support. If a Student Support Specialist feels that you could benefit from additional mental health support from the Center for Wellness or an external provider, they will work to make that connection with you.

Advocacy is two-fold: helping students develop self-advocacy skills and advocating for students when necessary. While we are here to help guide you, we also want to empower you and get you to a place where you can advocate for yourselves and peers. Support specialists can help you know your rights as a student, help you navigate social norms in a college setting, help you understand professionalism, and help you get more comfortable with asking for help.

Student Support Specialists often meet with students who are in crisis or are experiencing extreme stress. Support Specialists offer a nonjudgmental listening ear and then can help a student navigate through the situation by getting appropriate support. We aim to eliminate barriers to help students thrive during their time at Wentworth. manage crises, life traumas, and other barriers that impede success. Our staff works to address the needs of students who struggle in such areas as psychological health, physical health, victimization, relationship issues, social adjustment, and academics through a variety of interventions, referrals, and follow up services.