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Creating and Sustaining a Campus-wide Approach to

Student Mental Health

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AgendaOverview

College Students and Mental Health

Role of Disability Services Offices

Research to Practice: Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health

Questions

Application on Your Campus

Next Steps on Your Campus

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Quiz1. 11% of college freshman come to campus with a

mental health diagnosis

2. 21% of college students would meet criteria for a psychiatric disorder (axis I) within the last 12 months

3. Most college students think others will think less of them if they seek mental health treatment

4. Fewer than 60% of college students with a mental disorder sought treatment within the last year

5. Nearly 1% of college/university students have attempted suicide in the last year

Blanco et al, 2008U of MN 2010 Student Health SurveyU of Michigan Healthy Minds Study, 2008

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Quiz (Answers)

1. 23% (11%) of college freshman come to campus with a mental health diagnosis. False

2. 30% (21%) of college students would meet criteria for a psychiatric disorder (axis I) within the last 12 months. False

3. Most college students think others will think less of them if they seek mental health treatment. True

4. Fewer than 25% (60%) of college students with a mental disorder sought treatment within the last year. False

5. Nearly 1% of college/university students have attempted suicide in the last year. True

Blanco et al, 2008U of MN 2010 Student Health SurveyU of Michigan Healthy Minds Study, 2008

As many as 30% of all students on our campuses may have a diagnosable mental illness.

One in ten of all students report having seriously considered suicide and 1% of students report having actually attempted suicide within the last 12 months.

U of MN 2010 Student Health Survey

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Role of Disability Services

• Outreach• Individual accommodations• Awareness of campus and community

resources• Reduction of environmental barriers

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Overview of GrantNeeds Assessment Project: Exploring Barriers and Opportunities for College Students with Psychiatric

Disabilities (completed June 2003)

• Gather comprehensive data on the needs of college students with psychiatric disabilities

• Identify the real and perceived barriers facing these students on college campuses

• Identify strategies that may reduce or remove barriers to full participation in post secondary education

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Environmental Barriers

1. Stigma and stereotypes

2. Complex nature of psychiatric disabilities

3. Organizational and institutional barriers

4. Limited student resources and insurance

5. Limited access to information and services

Needs Assessment Project 2003

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What environmental barriers are you aware of on your campus?

1. Stigma and stereotypes

2. Complex nature of psychiatric disabilities

3. Organizational and institutional barriers

4. Limited student resources and insurance

5. Limited access to information and services

6. Other:

Strategies

1. Improve coordination and collaboration

2. Ensure access to resources and training

3. Use the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID)

4. Reduce student isolation

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Needs Assessment Project 2003

What is the first strategy you would like to develop on your campus?

1. Improve coordination and collaboration

2. Ensure access to resources and training

3. Expand the use of the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID)

4. Reduce student isolation

5. Other:

Student Mental HealthWhat is the message on your campus?

1. Student mental health is a private, individual issue.

2. Mental health is not an academic issue.

3. Student mental health is a campus-wide issue.

4. Student mental health is not a disability issue.

5. Students with mental illness need to take medical leaves and return to campus when they are symptom-free.

6. Other:

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Our Previous Message

Student mental health is a private, individual issue. We have a number of helpful resources, if you can find them.

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Current Message on Our Campus

Student mental health is a campus-wide issue; faculty, staff and students are all affected by student mental health and are part of the solution in addressing these issues.

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How did we get here?

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Research to Practice

Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health

2004 - present

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Charge to the Committee

Raise awareness about student mental health

Affect policy change

Improve conditions on our campus for students with mental health disabilities

Serve as a model for campus collaboration

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Provost’s Committee on Student Mental

Health

Students

Housing & Residential Life

Disability Services

Counseling

Mental Health Center

Center for Teaching and Learning

Campus Police

Parent Program

International Student and Scholar Office

Distributed Education and Technology

Academy of Distinguished Teachers - Faculty

Health Promotions

Student Affairs

Graduate School

Multicultural Affairs

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Public Health Approach

Needs Assessment

Prevention

Informative/Educational

Systemic/Sustainable

Intervention

Accessible/Environmental

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Needs AssessmentBoynton Health Service 2010 Student Health

Survey

34,097 students surveyed at 17 colleges and universities. 40.2% response rate

29.8% lifetime diagnosis of a mental illness13.6.0% rate of depression in the last 12 months0.8% attempted suicideOver half (55%) of students with mental health concerns

report these concerns negatively impact their academic performance.

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PreventionStress management and sleep

27.7% report an inability to manage their stress level49.1% of students report having received adequate sleep on

only three or less days over the preceding 7 daysAdequate sleep is correlated with ability to handle stress

Access to firearms

11.4% of students have immediate access to a firearm (36.3% of these have access to a handgun

Boynton Health Service 2007 Student Health Survey

Graduate school harassment45% bullied by non-advisor faculty member78% did not report the bullying behavior

Uncivil Behavior and the Graduate Student Experience at the U of M (2007)

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Informative/EducationalCentral Website which is promotedEditorials in the campus and local papersSpecial eventsInformation for parentsTools for faculty and staff

Collaborative trainingOnline trainingWebsite resourcesSyllabus statement

Stigma reduction campaignCollaborative training to students

www.mentalhealth.umwww.mentalhealth.umn.edun.eduwww.mentalhealth.umwww.mentalhealth.umn.edun.edu

Website Wallet Cards

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Marketing the Site 25

15,000 students viewed the site during the campaign!

Parent Program: Mental Health Webinar

www.parent.umn.edu/mental_health.php26

Collaborative Faculty and Staff Training Components

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• Campus Mental Health Statistics• Roles and buy-in• How to approach students in distress• Mental health disability and accommodations• Campus resources

Online Training

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Mental Health Syllabus Statement

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause

barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased

anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty

concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health

concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic

performance or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities.

University of Minnesota services are available to assist you with

addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. You

can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health

services available on campus via www.mentalhealth.umn.edu

Developed and endorsed by the Provost’s Committee on Student Mental Health, June 2006 

Approved by the Senate Committee on Educational Policy June 2009

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Systemic/SustainableOn campus collaboration

Bring together multiple stakeholders Centralize mental health resource informationCoordinate initiatives and careStrengthens liaison relationships with other campus

resourcesPromotes UD approach

Off Campus CollaborationExpands campus resources through connections to

community programsExpands circle of influence with other department’s

national resources

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Intervention

Early identification Faculty, staff, and students: Approaching

distressed students

Referral – Campus wide awareness of campus resources

Early and appropriate treatmentQuick access to careDecreased barriers to careProvider awareness of student specific issues

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Accessible/Environmental

Reduced barriers

Quality health insurance

Medication coverageNo pre-existing condition exclusionAffordableMandatory insurance

On-campus resources

Application on Your Campus

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Campus Approach

ReactiveProblem based

Individual accommodations

Responds to campus fear and promotes internalized stigma

Operates in a silo

ProactivePlanful

Individual accommodations and reduction of environmental barriers

Promotes reduction of internal and external stigma

Promotes campus wide collaboration

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Your Campus

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Does your campus take a reactive or proactive (Public Health) approach to student mental health?

1 2 3 4 5Reactive Proactive

36Components of an Effective CommitteeProvost appointed

Co-chairs

Regular meeting dates

Consistent, central meeting space

Minutes and Action Step follow-up

Subcommittees

Limit number of members (review commitment annually)

Food

Next Steps on your Campus

1. Review: Primary Barriers Campus Message Priority Strategies Campus Approach

2. Who are the key stakeholders on your campus?

3. Who needs to be involved in the first planning meeting and who will initiate the meeting?

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Benefits of a Campus-wide Committee

A coordinated system of delivering mental health services to students

A coordinated system of mental health resources that provides support for faculty and staff

Implementation of campus wide strategies to reduce stigma

Proactive response to campus issues

Increase in number of campus allies

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Unexpected Benefits

Collaboration on campus-wide training Policy changeAccess to multiple audiences Donated resourcesMore effective referrals Tools for the Administration to use in crisis Access to key stakeholders for student

organizationReduction of duplication of services Clarifying and strengthening campus

partnerships39