Challenging Situations:

Campus Collaboratives To Support Student

Success

Deborah Tull, Ph.D., Los Angeles Harbor College

tulld@lahc.edu (310) 233-4621

Addressing College Student Mental Health Concerns

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

General Population

Mild mental illness conditions are common.

1/5 of Americans experience some diagnosable mental disorder during any given year.

Anxiety disorders are most common.

Depression affects 1 in 10 adults. 3% experience severe and persistent mental

illness. (1)

(1) American Psychiatric Association, 2005

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

College Population: General

College student mental health issues are more severe than in past years. (2)

Research cites increases in the following for college students: Anxiety, Fear, Worry and Feeling Overwhelmed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Family Dysfunction Impact of Violence  Depression and Bipolar Disorder (3)

(2) Gallagher, 2001; Benton, et al, 2003; Benton, et al, 2004 (3) Report to the Subcommittee Hearing for the Campus Care and Counseling Act, April 28, 2005 by Researcher, Louise

Douce, Ph.D., Higher Education Research Institute, 2002

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

College Population: Depression Midwest University Study: The number of students

with depression doubled. (4)

ACHA Study: The rate of students diagnosed with depression has increased 56% in the last 6 years. (5)

ACHA Study: Nearly 50% of surveyed students reported feeling so depressed at times that they had trouble functioning. (6)

CDC Study: 28.3% of the students reported experiencing depression which interfered with daily activities for 2 weeks or longer. (7)

(4) Kansas State University Study (1989-2001) of 13,257 students, cited in: Benton, Robertson, Tseng, Newton, & Benton, 2003, p.69(5) American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, 2006(6) American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, 2006(7) Centers for Disease Control Study, 2002

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

College Population: Anxiety

ACHA Study: 12.4% of surveyed students reported having an anxiety disorder. (8)

Midwest University Study: Proportion of students seen for anxiety disorders doubled. (9)

National Institute of Mental Health Study: Anxiety disorders affect 9.1 percent of college students. (10)

(8) American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, 2006(9) Kansas State University Study (1989-2001) of 13,257 students, cited in: Benton, Robertson, Tseng, Newton, & Benton, 2003, p.69(10) National Institute of Mental Health, Anxiety Disorder Research, 2000

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

College Population: Suicide

The 2nd leading cause of death for college students is suicide. (11)

Every year, as many as 1100 college students die by suicide, most of these students were not in treatment at the time of their death. (12)

Midwest University Study: The number of suicidal students tripled. (13)

One out of every 12 college students has made a suicide plan. (14)

(11, 12) Jed Foundation, 2005

(13) Kansas State University Study (1989-2001) of 13,257 students, cited in: Benton, Robertson, Tseng, Newton, & Benton, 2003, p. 69(14) Mental Health America (Formerly known as National Mental Health Association), 2007

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

Relationship Violence

Violence against women on college campuses is widespread. (15)

The highest rates of relationship violence are among women 16-24 years of age. (16)

13% of surveyed students reported experiencing an emotionally abusive relationship the last school year. (17)

Over half of all stalking victims are 18-29 years. (18)

Midwest University Study: The number of students seen in response to sexual assault quadrupled. (19)

(15) B. Fisher, F. Cullen, M. Turner, 2000(16) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 2001(17) American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, 2006(18) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 1998 (19) Kansas State University Study (1989-2001) of 13,257 students, cited in: Benton, Robertson, Tseng, Newton, & Benton, 2003, p. 69

Scope of Mental Health Challenge

College Population: Substance Abuse

Several national surveys report that 4 in 5 college students drink and about half engage in heavy episodic drinking. (20)

49% (3.8 million) of full time college students binge drink and/or abuse prescription and illegal drugs. (21)

An estimated 300,000 of today’s college students will eventually die of alcohol related causes such as accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and other diseases. (22)

(20) American Psychiatric Association, 2006 (21) National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2007(22) Core Institute, 2006

Special Populations With UniqueMental Health Challenges

DSPS Students EOPS Students Cal Works Students Financial Aid Students International Program Students Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Students Veterans Intimate Partner Violence Survivors Student Athletes

Impact of College Mental HealthProblems/Issues

Campus Safety Behavioral Issues/Code of Conduct Student Performance Parenting Workforce Development

Impact: Campus Safety

All colleges must guarantee learning environments that are safe and secure.

Student mental health emergencies may bring unrest and harm to the student in distress, other students and faculty/staff/administration.

Examples include: Suicide attempts, incidents of stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence and substance abuse.

Impact: Behavioral Issues & Student

Conduct All students must abide by the student code of

conduct. Perform behavioral assessment to determine if a

student is in emotional crisis, is responding to a real-life crisis situation or is being disruptive.

Identify and refer those in emotional distress to a mental health professional.

Identify and refer those who are just “acting out” to campus disciplinarian.

Involve police when safety is threatened.

Impact: Behavioral Issues & Student

Conduct

Debunk the Myths:

People who have mental illness are not typically violent or dangerous.

National Institute of Mental Health research indicates that only 1% are potentially dangerous.

In rare instances when violence occurs, it is when the person is very seriously mentally ill and/or not under treatment. Refer these people for help.

Impact:Student Performance

Stress (32%) Sleep difficulties (23.9%) Concern for friend or family (18%) Depression/anxiety (15.7%) Relationship difficulty (15.6%) Death of friend/family (8.5%)

(23) Backels & Wheeler, 2001; Haines, Norris, & Kashy, 1996; Spence, Duric, & Roeder, 1996

Alcohol use (7.3%) Drug use (2.3%) Eating disorder/problem (1.3%) Physical assault (0.6%) Sexual assault (0.8%) (24)

(24) American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, 2006

Mental health problems interfere with student success and are directly linked to retention and academic performance. (23)

Problems affecting academic performance:

Impact: Parenting

College educators are mandated reporters for child abuse.

Mental health issues can interfere with appropriate parenting.

Mental health services can foster appropriate parenting and nurture healthy families.

Impact:Workforce Development

A primary mission of the community colleges is to successfully contribute to workforce development. This mission can only be attained by graduating and transferring students who meet the competency standards and possess mental and physical health.

Educators as Change-Agents:Need to Participate

Many students experience their first psychological problems between the ages of 20 and 35. Educators can be a student’s first link to help through referral to mental health service sites.

Most students will only undergo a single episode of mental illness in their entire lives and the vast majority (80%) can be treated successfully.

Educators must be aware that colleges will continue to see an increase in the enrollment of students needing mental health assistance.

Educators as Change-Agents:Need for Training

Sensitivity and awareness training is imperative for administrators, faculty, staff and student workers.

College professionals can be effective change-agents in the recovery, healing and educational goal attainment for this group of students.

Addressing the mental health challenges of college students is a global issue for all sectors of the college: Counseling Departments, DSPS, EOPS, Financial Aid, Assessment Centers, Cal Works Programs, Campus Police and Health Centers.

Educators as Change-Agents:Need for Training

It is critical to develop a campus-wide cultural climate that de-stigmatizes mental illness, removes barriers and encourages help-seeking behavior.

Educators should be trained to: (1) identify the signs of individuals in distress and (2) take the appropriate steps to get help.

Identifying Students in Need:Warning Signs

Be aware of students who: Appear sad, hopeless, fearful Make direct reference to suicide Appear to be “under the influence” Are often absent from class Seem unable to accept praise or feel

success Appear withdrawn, isolated or moody Have difficulty focusing Appear to have difficulty eating and sleeping

Change-Agent Training Resources

www.lahc.edu/MentalHealth www.campusblues.com www.touchingminds.org www.HealthyMinds.org www.jedfoundation.org www.activemindsoncampus.org www.nmha.org www.mentalhealth.com www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov

Need for College Program Development

Every college campus should have a mental health service site with professional staffing to meet the demands of its student population.

Cost-effective programs can be designed through the use of psychology interns under the supervision of a licensed professional.

Need for College Program Development

Possible Mental Health Service Site funding avenues include federal grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Need for College Policy Development

Formulate campus policies for:

Identification of high-risk and potentially high-risk students

Crisis management Promotion of mental health awareness, well-

being and suicide prevention Campus police support Community outreach

Community Collaborations:Student Success Agencies

California State Department of Rehabilitation Department of Mental Health Veterans Administration Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Agencies Self-Help Groups Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration

Close collaboration between the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) provided a “think-tank” response to college mental health challenges.

A Chancellor’s Office Fund for Instructional Improvement (1998-99) Grant provided the resources to develop a collaborative program, The Mental Health Education Consortium Project.

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration

The Mental Health Education Consortium Project laid the foundation for the LACCD and the LACDMH to develop a partnership which supported the educational efforts of students with mental illness within the District and streamlined service delivery to help students with unmet mental health needs who qualified for L. A. County mental health services.

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration: Outcomes

Launching of Supported Education Program (S.E.P.).

An S.E.P. “improves access to college and increases the retention of people who have a history of mental illness…The college or university is not a treatment setting, nor is the supported education program a treatment program. Treatment is the role of the mental health system; education is the role of the postsecondary education site.” (25)

(25) Unger, 1998, p. 19

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration: Outcomes

Development and implementation of mental health sensitivity and awareness training for LACCD Student Service professionals and LACDMH supervisors at District clinics

Global training opened direct communication between LACCD Student Services and LA County mental health workers in their respective areas.

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration: Outcomes

Open communication led to a streamlined referral system that benefited students in need of mental health services.

Open communication supported the creation of user-friendly web-based mental health training materials for the LACCD and other colleges in the California Community College System.

Los Angeles Harbor College and County Mental Health

Collaboration: Outcomes

Free training resources can be found at: www.lahc.edu/MentalHealth

Two booklets are available: Mental Illness: It Shouldn’t Drive You Crazy and The Calm Psychological Response (C.P.R.) Manual, a primer on crisis intervention for college professionals.

Also available are many tips on conducting mental health training.

Los Angeles Harbor College and CA State Department of

Rehabilitation Collaboration

Arrangements have been made with the local Department of Rehabilitation Office to have a rehabilitation counselor stationed at LAHC to optimize service delivery.

The rehabilitation counselor rotates between the DSPS, EOPS, and Cal-Works Office in response to service requests.

Los Angeles Harbor College and Domestic Violence/Sexual

Assault Agency Collaborations

Domestic violence/sexual assault agencies come on-campus to provide workshops for students.

Los Angeles Harbor College mental health professionals routinely visit local shelters and agencies to encourage abuse survivors to attend college.

Los Angeles Harbor College and Federal Collaboration

A USC/Los Angeles Community College consortium participates in a Department of Justice (DOJ) Grant Project designed to reduce the incidence of student relationship violence.

The Consortium has developed and implemented training on relationship violence prevention and established college violence reduction policies.

Los Angeles Harbor CollegeResearch

An estimated 40% - 60% of women on welfare are victims of domestic violence and, as students, these women have multiple challenges.

Tull Qualitative Dissertation - Domestic Violence Survivors on Welfare: Learning Experiences at a Community College (2004)

The dissertation focuses on college abuse survivor challenges and the effects that poverty and violence have on academic success and eventual self-sufficiency.

Los Angeles Harbor CollegeResearch

Research findings signal the importance of the following: (a) social support, (b) college services, (c) empowerment, (d) parenting workshops, (e) college liaison activities with DPSS and (f) viable academic programs linking these students to self-sufficiency and life success.

The study offers suggestions for program development at colleges and DPSS agencies.

The dissertation is available at: www.il.proquest.com

Los Angeles Harbor College Mental Health Site Program

Development

The LAHC Life Skills Center:

A cost-effective, humanistic, mental health site

Developed because demand for mental health services at LAHC far exceeded the support supplied by existing Student Services staff & public agencies

A non-stigmatizing name was chosen.

The Life Skills Center now meets the college mental health needs.

Los Angeles Harbor College Mental Health Site Program

DevelopmentThe Life Skills Center was created to contribute to the mission of the college by offering:

Brief, short-term crisis intervention and referrals.

Workshops and psycho-educational groups designed to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for students to be effective as people, family members, workers and citizens.

Our goal is to enhance the quality of life for the individual, the campus and for society as a whole.

Los Angeles Harbor College Mental Health Site Program

Development The Center teaches life skills which improve

student management of college demands and equips students to more readily handle stressors.

Life skills as a set of competencies enable students to form constructive, life-enhancing connections through a compassionate understanding of themselves and others.

The staff is now working with academic departments to integrate life skill principles and student success groups (student success circles) into the curriculum.

Addressing College Student Mental Health Concerns

“Today we are at crossroads. We are faced with the opportunity to bring mental health

into the mainstream of our concerns and we cannot afford to fail.”

Rosalyn Carter (1998)