Talking Stick - March/April 2009 - (Page 33) by Meredith Whipple W ith concerns about students’ mental health on the rise, colleges and universities have been trying to provide more extensive and better quality counseling and health services. according to the 2008 National Survey of Counseling Center Directors, 60 percent of the 284 institutions surveyed offer psychological services on campus, providing on average, 29.5 psychiatric consultation hours per week. But how well is the availability of mental health resources being communicated to staff, parents, and students? Nearly all the directors reported that their respective campuses fit the recent trend: There are a greater number of students with severe psychological problems, but an average of only 9 percent sought counseling. It seems clear, then, that resources must extend far beyond counseling services. “Campuses can’t just have a counseling center. Statistically, most students don’t go,” says Courtney Knowles, executive director of the Jed foundation, an organization promoting the emotional health of students by providing resources and programs for them, their parents, and campus professionals. T e N March + april 2009 33
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