On Feb. 15 Micky Sharma, NIU’s director of Counseling and Student Development Center, had a goal – to have a mental health clinician in every classroom when school resumed.

With a total of 450 clinicians on campus today, and a total of 400 on Tuesday, Sharma has hit his goal.

“We’re going to have a presence on campus,” Sharma said. “We want to make sure students are aware of the mental health services on campus.”

However, Sharma said students should not expect group therapy or other forms of direct consoling during their classes. Instead, students will be able to receive “psychological first aid” during their classes.

Sharma said that each clinician will start class with about a five minute presentation. These presentations will include a few brief talking points and informational handouts. After this the instructor and class will dictate how the clinician will be used.

“We want to recognize and give space for the incident that occurred,” he said. “We are not telling students you have to talk about it right here, right now.”

Instead, Sharama wants these clinicians to open up a dialogue if it is wanted.

NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center has received support from around the nation. Individuals from the state of Illinois, private professions, and other colleges and universities will be helping during the next couple days, he said.

One group that was able to respond to NIU’s call for help quickly was the Illinois Counseling Association. The ICA put together a way for clinicians to register to help the day after Feb. 14. As of last Friday, the organization had over 600 individuals who registered to help.

“The Internet is so powerful. We were able to react so quickly,” said Ronna Heinig executive director for the ICA. “I look at that database of over 600 people and I’m quite impressed.”

Other associations also saw the same amount of outpour and volunteerism.

Daniel Stasi, executive director of Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association, said they received between 400 and 500 responses to their call for clinicians.

The tragedy hit this group especially hard, as it is located in DeKalb and employs seven NIU students.

“We knew there would be needs,” Stasi said. “We’ll be the first line [for NIU]. Our role is to be there to get [students] to other services.”

NIU’s Counseling and Student Development Center is located on the second floor of the Campus Life Building in Room 200.

Brian Hemphill, vice president of student affairs, said in a letter that more than 550 counselors would be on-hand for students’ return to campus. These counselors will wear red armbands. Student affairs representatives will wear black armbands.