engage. connect. belong

The Touchstone Project provides broad-based suicide prevention for all students of the University of Maine. Touchstone Web offers a free, anonymous online assessment of suicide risk factors that is evaluated by a staff member who provides feedback and follow-up if desired.  Touchstone Peers are a select group of students who are trained to connect students to professional resources and university clubs, organizations or interest groups in order to promote engagement, encourage meaningful connection to the community, reduce stigma, lessen marginalization, and decrease exclusion. Touchstone Resources are faculty and staff trained to intervene with at-risk students.

Click here to take the Touchstone Assessment

For Students

Touchstone Social Network (TSN)

Ever wanted to help a friend and didn’t know what to do? The TSN is a social network of students all trained in advanced helping skills. These skills include active listening, connecting, what to do in a crisis, how to keep your boundaries, what confidentiality is, and other issues that can come up in college, such as alcohol problems, eating problems, trouble with stress, and depression.

TSN training occurs once a semester in the Union. Meetings are once a week for six weeks. Food provided! Once you have completed the course, you get a Touchstone Sticker, Touchstone T-Shirt and Certificate of Completion, plus a wealth of skills that could help you in your personal and professional life.

Topics covered:
Active listening
Connection
College-specific issues
Crisis prevention and Intervention
Boundaries
Confidentiality
* all classes include role playing and/or group/fishbowl/feedback experiences
* training focuses on behaviors and role-appropriate intervention

Touchstone Peers
Haven’t quite found your niche at UMaine yet? Trust us, you are not alone!
Whether you have a list of hobbies three feet long or you aren’t sure just what strikes your fancy, the Touchstone Peers can hook you up.
UMaine has over 300 clubs and organizations, plus even more activities that you don’t even have to sign up for. That can be a bit overwhelming! Let us help you narrow down that list and find you passion here at UMaine.
To talk to a Peer, just stop by our office by the ATM’s on the first floor of the Union. We have coffee and tea, so come on in and make yourself at home!

If you are interested in becoming a Peer, contact Bethany Asquith on First Class or call 581-1392.  To fill out an application, click here (this is in PDF format).

For Faculty & Staff

Faculty may participate in a program that:

Identifies students at risk
Serves students referred by Faculty and Staff
Creates more access to counseling services
Lowers barriers to seeking help
Supports Faculty through consultation
Provides training for when and how to talk with students about signs of suicide

• Trainings for Faculty and Staff
o Touchstone Basics (10-15 minutes)
 Introduces participants to Touchstone and the Counseling Center.
 Informs faculty and staff of the basics of suicide prevention.
 Describes the intervention and referral basics.
o Touchstone Resource Training (2 hours)
 Learn to recognize early signs of depression and suicide
 Learn more about the resources on campus
 Develop more comfort and skill in talking about depression and suicide.
 Practice making interventions and referrals.
• Consultation and referral services
o Web-based Screening Assessment available for students who are resistant to coming into the Counseling Center
o Free consultation with Counseling Center clinician
o Web resources about mental health on website
 www.umaine.edu/counseling

For more information, contact Bethany Asquith on FirstClass or call 581-1392.