David J Denino, an experienced educator ready help improve health and safety on your campus, including mental health, residence life, and student services. He is also a master trainer of QPR , an expert in mental health first response, suicide prevention, and mental health interventions.
Experienced Leader
David has worked in higher education and college counseling over the past several decades and is director emeritus of counseling services at Southern Connecticut State University. He served as the associate director and then director of counseling services for more than 30 years. David also supervised the university’s health services for a two-year period and led a search for a new medical director during that time. He has additionally served as an executive board member to the Connecticut Counseling Association and as secretary and treasurer for the American College Counseling Association (ACCA). David’s strengths in higher education management come from a strong background with NASPA, ACPA, the ACCA, and the American Counseling Association (ACA), and from having organized departments with regard to CAS standards. His work in residence life, student centers, career services, graduate teaching, and counseling bring a unique blend of talent to his work.
Trainer
David has presented at many state and national conferences and has provided consulting services to a variety of both national and state organizations. He is a master trainer of Question Persuade Refer (QPR), having taught the QPR curriculum for several years, and was the key person in bringing the QPR model to the state university system in Connecticut. A certified clinical trauma professional, David is also a Red Cross mental health first responder and is the mental health lead for the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. As such, he has assisted with relief efforts for hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey as well as provided mental health support at the Sandy Hook and Las Vegas shootings
In addition, David created training programs that deal with the issues of suicide and mental health on campus. PASS — short for Prevent Another Student Suicide — is three-hour training that focuses on recognizing suicide warning signs, conducting safety assessments, and providing safety planning for students. PASS training also provides a more in-depth review of depression and suicide, key protective factors, and key factors in managing a suicidal person. Lend a Hand is a three-hour mental health awareness and intervention training that offers the opportunity for campus BITs, student affairs professionals, student conduct officers, faculty members, residential life staff, and other members of the campus community to develop awareness and intervention skills in the areas of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Teacher
A current adjunct faculty member at Southern Connecticut State University, David has experience teaching graduate courses in counseling theory, student affairs, crisis counseling, lifespan/career development, and internship supervision.
Thought Leader
David has received numerous awards for his outstanding work, including the 2017 NABITA Meritorious Service Award for his work after hurricane Harvey and Las Vegas shooting; J. Philip Smith Outstanding Teaching Award at SCSU; Red Cross Hero’s award for service as a first responder to Hurricane Katrina; Outstanding Emerging Leader as a member of the Connecticut Counseling Association; Connecticut Counselor of the Year award, and the 2015 ACCA Distinguished Professional Award. He also serves on Connecticut's statewide taskforce for suicide prevention and education.