Introducing the Faculty and Staff Support Network

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We are writing to announce a new resource—the Faculty and Staff Support Network (FSSN)—that will ensure that co-workers and colleagues have a way to reach out and engage support for someone they believe may need it.

While many resources and systems, such as the Employee Assistance Program, already are in place to aid members of the DU community, the new FSSN will address an important gap: how to intervene on behalf of someone who is struggling. If you notice that a co-worker or colleague is behaving in a way that causes you concern or creates an environment at work that you believe is harmful or unsafe, the FSSN will allow you to intervene discretely, without concern of repercussion. You also can self-refer through the FSSN for advice about what assistance you may need, or where within DU is the right place to turn.

The FSSN is patterned after DU’s Student Outreach and Support (SOS) referral system. Like SOS, it is staffed by University health professionals who form a behavioral intervention team that evaluates referrals and determines next steps. If outside resources are needed, further referral will take place and the employee will be supported through the process. The link to the referral form may be found here.

Please join us in thanking the team of compassionate faculty and staff, who saw the need for the FSSN and worked across their divisions and disciplines during the past year to make it a reality. Their names are listed here. Also, feel free to contact Linzy Coffey, DU’s wellbeing coordinator, at well@du.edu or 303-871-3840 if you have questions about the program or would like to speak with someone before submitting a referral.

As many of us struggle—in our various and individual ways—to adjust to the lingering uncertainty associated with the coronavirus and the plethora of societal issues facing our nation at this time, we believe the FSSN, together with Student Outreach and Support and other community support resources, will be of tremendous value as we prioritize the wellbeing of our community.

Sincerely,

Mary Clark
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Jerron Lowe
Interim Vice Chancellor for Human Resources