Youth Mental Health Advocacy Series: JED Student Mental Health Voice Award Winner Joseph Sexton
Associate Director Dana Humphrey and youth mental health advocate Carson Domey interview Joseph Sexton, a senior at Vanderbilt University who was recently awarded the Jed Foundation’s Student Mental Health Voice Award. Joseph describes how he started an organization at Vanderbilt focused on building a movement around critical psychiatry and improving policy, research and funding with the goal of making “tractable gains” in suicide prevention.
Mental and Behavioral Health
Main Stories
The Washington Post features an article on how to ease the transition to college when mental health is a concern. Experts say students should seek resources prior to arriving, especially given the stressful transition. “Living in a new setting and away from home can often create overwhelming and stressful circumstances, and recently we’ve added the stress of the pandemic to the mix,” said Dr. Sarah K. Lipson, professor of health policy at Boston University’s School of Public Health. Taking initiative ahead of time – from completing an intake counseling session to finding the right medications and pharmacies – can be crucial to a successful start.
Reuters reports on higher rates of mental health problems amongst law students. A new study shows that almost 69% of survey respondents reported needing help for emotional or mental health challenges last year.
Other News
The Daily Tar Heel reports on the University of North Carolina adding two well-being days to the fall academic calendar. Experts say well-being days can increase awareness towards self-care and well-being enhancing activities, such as exercise and practicing meditation, yet may not be enough.
James Madison University features ten tips for parents sending their students off to college. The list advises that students who have histories with mental health or diagnoses “maintain relationships with their providers and continue with prescribed therapies.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Inside Higher Ed and The Chronicle report on the expansion of college access to prisons through Pell grants with advocates expressing concerns over corrections agencies’ control of the programs. A new proposal from the Education Department would help launch educational programming to help approximately 500,000 incarcerated individuals. Advocates state that barriers still exist for prisoners, considering that many prisons may lack the physical space, staff, or technology to properly accommodate prison education.
Diverse Education reports that a new study finds Black medical students at HBCU medical schools reporting a greater sense of belonging and higher scholastic confidence than those at other institutions. Dr. Sylvia Perry, senior researcher of the study and a professor at Northwestern University, says Black medical students may experience more instances of discrimination at predominantly white institutions, which “leads to reduced perceptions of their ability to succeed within medical school.” Medical students at HBCUs are more likely to have a greater confidence of being accepted to a residency program.
Diverse Education features an article on how debt forgiveness will help Black women facing student debt. According to a study by Ed Trust, Black women owe 113% of student loan debt compared to other racial groups. Assistant director of higher education policy at Ed Trust, Victoria Jackson, says Black women often carry the greatest financial burden of college student loans.
Diverse Education reports on how data collection can influence improved support for student parents. Students who are parents are more likely to be people of color, women, older than 30, and first-generation college students and often experience feeling isolated on campus. Dr. Su Jin Jez, executive director of California Competes, says aggregating data can help with policymaking and improving services for these students. “It’s really hard to make the case for and make better policies, programs and services for student-parents when we don’t have data of who student-parents are and how they’re fairing in our system.”
Sexual Assault and Title IX
The Chronicle reports on colleges that may rely on outdated consent education with experts saying colleges need to “get with the times.” With the prevalence of more popular young adult shows, which may misrepresent consent scenariors, experts say colleges must update consent education curriculum to educate students on rough sexual encounters which could lead to assault. “This is particularly important in light of the fact that choking/strangulation appears to be increasing as part of sexual assaults,” stated Debby Herbenick, a public-health professor at Indiana University at Bloomington.
Student Success
Inside Higher Ed reports on whether technology can help level college students’ social capital, such as access to supportive networks, information and equitable opportunities. Experts say that the size of a student’s network can have an impact on their postgraduate success, and first-generation and low-income students may have limited access to such opportunities.
Higher Ed Dive reports that non-degree pathways are of interest to employers and Gen-Z, yet both parties believe the options may be too risky to pursue. According to a new report from Jobs for the Future and American Student Assistance, 4 out of 5 employers believe companies should hire based on skills instead of degrees. Three-quarters of high school students said they would like to focus on skills to advance them for jobs in high-demand, yet 65% said they worry about choosing the wrong path in college.
The Chronicle reports 3 takeaways from supporting briefs in the case that could change college admissions. Arguments in two cases related to race-conscious admissions will be held in the Supreme Court to evaluate affirmative action.
Inside Higher Ed and Higher Ed Dive report that chief online officers believe fully in-person campuses will become outliers in the future. According to a new study, most chief online officers say there will be a minimum of some online components to the college experience three years from now. Forty-five percent said undergraduate college will be mostly on campus for traditionally aged students.
College Affordability
The Washington Post reports that the $6 billion college student loan settlement has received preliminary approval for the 200,000 borrowers who say they have been defrauded by their institutions. The class-action suit would grant immediate debt relief for students from 153 institutions, many of which are for-profit colleges. Several of the for-profit colleges have objected, and while district Judge William Alsup will allow them the opportunity to state their claims, the settlement is moving forward to becoming finalized.
Basic Needs
The Hechinger Report, Inside Higher Ed, and The Washington Post report on more students struggling to find affordable housing for the fall. A heightened desire for on-campus life, rising rental prices, and limited local housing has left many students in angst over unsecured housing plans for the academic year, especially at large universities such as the University of California at Berkeley. Some institutions are making creative efforts, such as offering alumni money to board students or financial incentives for students to move into the private housing market.
Inside Higher Ed reports on campuses attempting to alleviate the impact of inflation on students and staff. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. is seeing the highest inflation rate in 40 years, impacting the prices of basic essentials, food and gas. At Sam Houston State University in Texas, there is high demand for its food pantry, where 25 to 50 students visit a day in the summer.
Reproductive Health and Justice
The Chronicle reports on how college health centers are navigating abortion restrictions, yet many have not publicized their plans. Ona Dosunmu, president of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, says many healthcare staff are weary of making announcements or claims due to the underlying political risks involved. “Generally, folks don’t want to get out ahead of their presidents and administrations. Most of them were like, ‘I’m not touching this with a 10-foot pole,’” said Dosunmu.
Physical Health
NPR, CNN, and Inside Higher Ed report on how colleges are dealing with the onset of Monkeypox. The Biden administration has recently declared a national health emergency as 9,000 cases of Monkeypox have been confirmed in the United States. Health experts on campuses are preparing for potential outbreaks and unnecessary panic. Efforts include educating students through social media and allocating resources like vaccines and treatment to potential “hotspots” of outbreaks.
