Mental and Behavioral Health
Study abroad programs are challenging experiences to navigate for students with mental health issues. Increasingly, colleges and companies that run study abroad programs are trying to help, arranging free Skype therapy sessions in remote locations, training faculty and host families to recognize problems, and transferring accommodations that students get at U.S. schools to their programs abroad. IES Abroad, a study-abroad provider that runs programs with hundreds of U.S. colleges, launched training this fall details warning signs for students in distress, such as withdrawing socially or sleeping too much. “There are some stressors that are inherent to studying abroad,” says Barbara Lindeman, director of international health, safety and security at the University of Missouri. “That can make it more challenging for a student to manage a mental health issue that they were successfully managing in the U.S.”
As reported in the Daily Illini, a new student organization at Illinois State University is focused on the mental well-being of Chinese international students. Conch Shell Mental Support aims to improve support for Chinese international students, many of whom feel their mental health is not being addressed. Most of the Conch Shell’s work is based on WeChat, the biggest social media app among Chinese students. Its activities include sharing regular mental health-related articles on the online communication platform and in-person group meetings and talks. The organization’s official account on WeChat now has 1,573 subscribers. “I hope that with all the resources offered by us, Chinese students can have a place to talk whenever they feel the need and without the concern of cultural and language barriers,” said Runze Chen, the president of the Conch Shell Mental Support and a Chinese student.
In a letter to the university’s Suicide and Mental Health Task Force, Charles Emery, the chair of Ohio State University’s Department of Psychology called Ohio State’s policy for dealing with urgent mental health care needs “shocking” and “embarrassing.” The letter came after he said a first-year student expressed suicidal thoughts to a doctoral trainee in the psychology department. The trainee referred the student to Counseling and Consultation Services, but was told CCS “will not see students who need urgent care.” In the letter, Emery wrote, “OSU can – and should – do a better job of serving the mental health care needs of our students. I am writing to urge you to do everything possible to make this a reality,” Emery wrote. Katie Hull, chief of staff in the Office of the President, said in an email response that students who may be in danger of harming themselves or others should be referred to an emergency department.
The Davidsonian reports on faculty’s critical role in promoting student mental well-being at Davidson University. Dr. Patricia Tilburg, a history professor and acting Chair of Gender & Sexuality Studies, said that establishing this relationship can be as simple as offering students space to confide. “I have found over the years that just asking students how they are goes a long way,” she said. “A lot of students come to office hours [thinking] ‘I’m here to talk about my paper topic, or the exam.’ It’s actually quite magical […] how just hitting pause on the academic conversation opens up a space that students can fill.” While professors qualify as mental health resources for students to an extent, counseling is beyond the scope of their profession. Higgins added that listening to students’ concerns without necessarily advising them can be emotionally soothing in itself. To ensure that professors are informed about these alternative resources, the Center for Student Health and Well-Being briefs incoming faculty members on the health and counseling services offered. For especially alarming cases, professors have access to an online Student of Concern form.
According to The Daily Tarheel, the University of North Carolina is taking steps to improve mental health resources. The Report of the Mental Health Task Force at UNC, released this year, says that “Mental health is an increasing area of concern for the undergraduate and graduate student populations. Current approaches to mental health treatment, policy creation and application, and the campus culture around wellness are not sufficient for addressing the breadth and depth of the issue.” Since the report was issued, two of its recommendations have been implemented: CAPS 24/7, which allows students to call the regular CAPS number at any time.
In an op-ed in the Courant, Yasmine Taha, a second-year University of Connecticut graduate student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program, writes that there are not enough supports on campus for struggling students, and that colleges and universities can and should create inclusive environments that help eliminate stigma and encourage students to address their mental health issues. According to Taha, college mental health centers should be adequately staffed to handle the growing number of students in need of their resources. Additionally, Taha believes that faculty and staff should receive formal training on how to help students who are struggling so they can comfortably refer students to counseling services. The University of Connecticut offers a workshop called UConn HELPS, which trains participants to recognize warning signs and provide support for students in crisis.
A recent anonymous opinion piece in The Thresher, the student newspaper at Rice University, described a negative experience involving a deferral from Rice following a schizophrenic episode. Providing context to the article, the Thresher published student and alumni stories that give a glimpse into the intensely personal, difficult journey of seeking care.
In an op-ed in the Chicago Maroon, University of Chicago student Jay Gibbs argues that the limited availability of counseling appointments during business hours prompts students to forgo essential mental health care in favor of their academic responsibilities. Gibbs writes that these hours coincide with when students are the busiest. According to Gibbs, to lower the barriers to students seeking help and actually getting the help, Student Counseling Services should shift the times when help is generally available. He writes, “When providing care, it does not make sense to overlook the barriers a majority of students face in receiving this care.”
According to the Daily UW, the student newspaper at the University of Washington, the school may restructure services to address the fact that wait times to see a counselor can be several weeks. The article states that the Counseling Center is not able to hire additional counselors or provide other mental health services due to lack of funding. Patricia Atwater, director of health promotion and Megan Kennedy, director of the UW Resilience Lab, spoke about educating faculty members to incorporate well-being and mental health resources into their class curriculum. Farah Nadeem, a graduate student in the electrical engineering department, is working with other students on the Provost’s Advisory Committee for Students to tackle the issue of mental health services from a student perspective. Part of Nadeem’s charge is to work with a mental health task force to gather student input and analyze the budget, which will be used to advise on the best service delivery model. “One of the things that makes a lot of sense to me is the fact that ‘one size fits all’ is not a great solution,” Nadeem said. “We are trying to put forward the best solution or set of solutions that we can, but we also recognize that there has to be room for services to improve and grow.”
Washington State University Cougar Health Services offers a mental health training program that covers topics like anxiety, traumatic events, non-suicidal self-injury, and substance use disorders. Nikita Alimohammad, WSU Health Promotion Specialist and primary facilitator for the Mental Health First Aid training told the Daily Evergreen that the training is aimed to make participants comfortable and confident enough to help an individual who is showing signs and symptoms of being mentally unwell. The training program is free for WSU students.
In the Daily Targum of Rutgers University, student Neha Saju writes that young adults today face increased financial stress that correlates to burnout — a term used to characterize people in high-stress, continuously connected and over-demanding settings. According to Saju, burnout should not become an accepted reality.
Harvard’s Counseling and Mental Health Services has started offering same-day appointments for non-urgent cases. Under this pilot program, students can book an appointment by calling the front desk where they are served on a first-come, first-served basis. Chief of CAMHS Barbara Lewis wrote in an emailed statement, “As demand substantially increases, we continually look for new, innovative ways to deliver quality services to our students. We recognize that many students want more direct engagement with counselors, oftentimes as a thought partner in problem-solving more immediate issues.” The new program comes after criticism from students who have alleged that the mental health service imposed unreasonable wait times.
In a blog post for Higher Education Today, the General Counsel for the American Council on Education Peter McDonough wrote about what higher education institutions should consider as they develop involuntary withdrawal policies that incorporate Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) principles. McDonough’s recommendations include: Do not assume involuntary withdrawal is a foregone conclusion; Identify someone who will evaluate the risk of harm posed by the student; Consider offering an appeal process for the student who is involuntarily withdrawn; Require clear instructions for a student’s return; and limit the scope of involuntary withdrawals.