{"id":137638,"date":"2023-11-20T00:00:06","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T05:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=137638"},"modified":"2023-11-20T00:54:15","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T05:54:15","slug":"universities-report-continued-spike-in-students-seeking-mental-health-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/universities-report-continued-spike-in-students-seeking-mental-health-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Universities report continued spike in students seeking mental health services"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wichita State U. sees 73 percent increase in one year, Washington State U. 25 percent<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Universities are reporting a significant uptick in students seeking mental health services after the American Psychological Association called<\/a> the trend a \u201ccrisis\u201d last fall.<\/p>\n

Wichita State University\u2019s CARE team, which supports students and faculty in situations that interfere with their ability to \u201cfunction to their full potential,\u201d reported a 73 percent increase in \u201ccare reports\u201d between September 2022 and 2023, according<\/a> to The Sunflower<\/em>, the Kansas university’s student newspaper.<\/p>\n

\u201cDistress and a need for emotional support\u201d were the two most frequent reasons for individuals seeking help, The Sunflower<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n

The College Fix<\/em> asked the university media office what factors it believes are contributing to the rise, what mental health services it offers to students, and if it plans to expand these services. The office initially responded but did not provide comment by the time of publication.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Washington State University also reported in October about a 25 percent increase in students seeking accommodations for disabilities, primarily for mental health issues, according<\/a> to the university\u2019s news site WSU Insider<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Rob Morales, associate director of student services for the Pullman campus, told WSU Insider<\/em>\u00a0he believes the increase is due, in part, to the fact that \u201cthis population of students is more vocal about the support they need and advocating for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eric Scott, director of student development at WSU Vancouver and manager of the Access Center, told the university that\u00a0the return from pandemic-era learning to traditional learning also may contribute to the trend.<\/p>\n

Some colleges and universities are trying to create \u201coutside the box\u201d solutions to respond to their students’ needs, according<\/a> to the APA.<\/p>\n

Santa Fe College in Florida, for example, offered<\/a> Mental Health First Aid Training classes to students in October and November. The eight-hour course prepares students to assist their peers \u201cwho may be experiencing a mental health-related crisis or problem on campus,\u201d according to the university website.<\/p>\n

The Fix<\/em> contacted the Santa Fe communications office asking for more information about the training, including why it was offered and what mental health services the college provides to students, but did not receive a response.<\/p>\n

A number of colleges and universities are expanding mental health services to address the growing need.<\/p>\n

This year, New Jersey colleges and universities began collaborating with the mental health service Uwill to offer \u201cfree, on-demand teletherapy for students,\u201d according<\/a> to The Daily Targum<\/em>, Rutgers University’s student newspaper.<\/p>\n

Uwill was founded in 2020 to \u201cassist campus counseling centers as they face overwhelming student demand for mental health support,\u201d according to its website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This fall, the University of Michigan also announced<\/a> a partnership with a similar mental health and suicide prevention program, JED Campus.<\/p>\n

According to the Jed Foundation, which created JED Campus, the organization partners with college and university leaders to assess campus \u201cneeds, develop a customized strategic plan to build on existing strengths, and implement tools, strategies, and techniques that lead to measurable improvements in student mental health and a more connected community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Due to the high cost of hiring more mental health professionals, some colleges and universities are \u201cleaning on faculty, staff, and even students to help bridge the gap,\u201d TIME<\/em> reported<\/a> in September.<\/p>\n

A report<\/a> this year by the American Council on Education, \u201cWhat works for improving mental health in higher education,\u201d stated families provide influential support to college and university students.<\/p>\n

Still, the council’s report stated it was \u201cunable to identify any higher education interventions focused on families that were evaluated for impact on student mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The methods with the most proven effectiveness in helping students are individually oriented and thus more costly, according to the report. It also said \u201ccolleges and universities have important opportunities to support student mental health through improvements to the broader campus environment,\u201d such as physically restricting means for suicide.<\/p>\n

The Healthy Minds Study<\/a> published in the Journal of Affective Disorders<\/em> in 2020 found more than 60 percent of American college students meet the criteria for one or more mental health problems.<\/p>\n

The APA reported the increase in demand is not entirely negative, but \u201cstigma around mental health issues also continues to drop, leading more people to seek help instead of suffering in silence.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE: Psychology professors warn: Earlier smartphone use linked to worse adult mental health<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

IMAGE: fizkes\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

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