Transcript Mental Health trends in Higher education - SCASFAA

Laura Milling
Horry Georgetown Technical College




Latest Mental Health Trends and Statistics in
Higher Education
Mental Health and Academic Success
Community Issue: Discussion About the FA
Counselor’s Role
Resources
The CDC defines mental health conditions as:
Health conditions that are characterized
by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior
(or some combination of those) associated
with distress and/or impaired functioning.
www.nami.org/namioncampus



75 percent of lifetime cases of mental health conditions
begin by age 24
1 in 4 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have
a diagnosable mental illness
More than 25 percent of college students have been
diagnosed or treated by a professional for a mental
health condition within the past year
www.nami.org/namioncampus


Colleges around the country are reporting
large increases in the prevalence and severity
of mental health conditions
Improved identification coupled with mental
health treatment options means that students
whose severe mental health challenges may
have precluded them from attending college in
the past are now able to attend (The Mentor-Academic
Advising Journal 8/15/13)


11 percent of college students have been diagnosed
or treated for anxiety (within the past year)
More than 10 percent reported being diagnosed or
treated for depression (within the past year)
www.nami.org/namioncampus



40% of individuals who served in Iraq and
Afghanistan will be returning as individuals
with disabilities
Per the 2008 Rand estimates, 30% of these
veterans will have mental health conditions
and/or traumatic brain injuries
Veterans may be new to their diagnoses
without prior history or knowledge of
IDEA/Section 504 eligibility
Honolulu Community College 7/1/10


Students cited depression and anxiety as
among the top impediments to academic
performance (American College Health
Association Report -2011)
According to NAMI, young adults (without
adequate treatment) experiencing a mental
health issue are more likely to receive lower
GPAs, drop out of college or be unemployed
Stigma remains the number 1 barrier to students
seeking help (NAMI, College Students Speak: A Report on Mental
Health)


Among top 5 reasons why students disclose a
mental health disability:
“to avoid disciplinary action by the school and to
avoid losing financial aid”
Among top 5 reasons why students do not
disclose:
“Do not trust that their medical information will
remain confidential”
Within same NAMI survey, “frequently”
students reported:
They are no longer attending college because they lost
their financial aid and/or scholarships as a result of
receiving a low GPA or changing to part-time student
status
Results from American College Counseling
Association Community College Task Force
2012-13:
Many students are unaware or confused about
the services available to help support their
success at community colleges


The most important tool [staff] have in terms of
helping students with mental health issues is
awareness of relevant campus resources
[Staff] should …be on the lookout for overly
dependent students who make frequent visits
to their office and seem unable to make their
own decisions
 Lori Corley, University of South Carolina, 7/15/13 (Prevalence of
Mental Health Issues Among College Students, The Mentor)
According to Student Mental Health and the
Law: A Resource for Institutions-JED
Foundation:
“FERPA” allows communication about a
specific student among institution of higher
education (IHE) staff, faculty, and
administrators who are concerned about the
welfare of the student or community.”
According to NAMI: Students with Mental
Health concerns want staff to:



Be proactive in connecting students to help
Faculty and staff should hear them out and be
respectful, non-judgmental and sensitive to
their issues
Faculty and staff should know that mental
health issues are as real and as serious as other
physical health issues. They are not an excuse
for being lazy, irresponsible or a bad student.

JEDCampus http://www.jedfoundation.org

ULifeline: www.hgtc.edu/counseling