I work daily with students as an academic adviser. I have referred many of them to my college’s counseling and psychological services office and have helped multiple students withdraw from all their classes due to immediate mental health crises.
Many students struggle with mental health so much that they feel they cannot stay in school. The mental health epidemic is real, and that is why we must hold our institutions of higher learning accountable for addressing it.
Higher education is plagued with massive numbers of students entering college with mental health issues: Over 60 percent suffer from at least one mental health condition, a 50 percent increase from 11 years ago, a recent survey found. One-third of students report being overwhelmed and conclude that they cannot navigate college life. It is vital that colleges find ways to identify and help students with mental health issues.
Our country is also seeing a dramatic increase in college student suicides, the second-leading cause of death for college students: 10.3 percent of students report serious thoughts of suicide, and 1,100 students complete suicide each year. The state of Ohio, where I work as an academic adviser, has taken some small steps, but they are not enough.
Helping these young adults with mental health issues recover and eventually join the workforce and form the foundation of our economy is important to everyone.
Although too many students’ mental health issues take them out of college, many do take time off and successfully return to finish their degrees. One of my students who took the spring semester off to obtain mental health treatment will graduate this December with a bachelor’s degree.
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Ohio state law requires that state-sponsored colleges provide new students with mental health information, and NCAA student-athletes are required to complete an annual mental health screening. Yet only 37 percent of students who responded to a recent survey sought help on campus, although 70 percent of students in the same survey said that they had “struggled” with mental health.
Treatment does make a difference. One article reported that over 50 percent of students who received individual counseling experienced academic improvement. Another study found that over half of student participants met criteria for reliable improvement in at least one area after counseling.
State-sponsored schools like the University of Cincinnati, where I work, are taxpayer investments, so all citizens of the state are stakeholders in the success of every student. Soon, our economy will depend on current students who have been able to graduate and move into jobs in our community and state.
The best way to address the problem of college students’ mental health issues is to provide confidential online screenings.
All across the country, some colleges are realizing this and are taking steps. Boise State University in Idaho, the University of Virginia and Boston University provide free mental health screenings. Boise State’s screenings are fully online, with resources and referrals provided as needed. The University of Washington tested an online mental health screening system: 75 percent of students who used the system reported that it helped them decide to seek professional help. Such systems can also provide essential mental health information and resources to address concerns.
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More schools should follow suit and provide students with yearly screenings through their university’s student information systems to provide feedback and resources. And all staff and faculty should be trained to recognize red flags and be able to refer students to available campus and community resources.
One national study on faculty and staff mental health training found that after staff completed training, schools reached 47 percent more students about mental health concerns and referred 42 percent more students to get help.
Despite students’ mental health needs, the Republican Party is interested in dismantling the Affordable Care Act, which mandates that insurance companies cover mental health care. In recent years, Republican lawmakers have sought to avoid spending money on health care generally.
Fortunately, an effective tool is not expensive. Mental Health America provides a free mental health screening survey. Colleges could use this survey at minimal expense and provide resources based on students’ scores.
This initiative would give universities the opportunity to provide resources and referrals to students who need them most. Without screenings and referrals, student suicide rates may continue to climb, and the mental health epidemic will likely continue.
Sarah Ely is an academic advisor at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio.
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This story about college students and mental health was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for our higher education newsletter. Listen to our higher education podcast.