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Life for the Mind Ii: an Internal Study of On-Campus Student Mental Health at the University of Chicago

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Life for the Mind Ii: an Internal Study of On-Campus Student Mental Health at the University of Chicago LIFE FOR THE MIND II: AN INTERNAL STUDY OF ON-CAMPUS STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO P. KUMAR, A. GALLO, J. XU, N. MCDONALD, A. JOVEL Abstract. The majority of students who completed the University of Chicago Undergraduate Mental Health Climate Survey in the 2019-2020 academic year had a negative perception of both mental health services and the University's response to mental health crises. This report seeks to describe the current state of mental health for undergraduate students, using the results of our climate survey, interviews with undergraduate students who fall into different demographics of age, race, gender, sexuality, as well as stakeholders like the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) to answer the question of whether the University of Chicago (UChicago) is currently treating mental health for undergraduate students adequately. We have created a list of pol- icy recommendations based on our research focusing on the mobilization of resources to better reach students, optimization of existing treatments by the Student Counseling Service (SCS) to best serve students on campus, and im- proving communication between various UChicago offices in regards to mental health policies. Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. Definitions 2 3. Current Mental Health Record Relating to the University of Chicago 3 4. Current Services offered by the University of Chicago 3 5. Survey Results 5 5.1. Method 5 5.2. Demographic Analysis 5 5.3. Have you considered using SCS services? 5 5.4. Satisfaction with on-campus care 7 5.5. Utilization of SCS services 9 6. Non-SCS related care 10 7. Leave of Absence 11 8. Mental Health Crises and Charles Thomas 11 9. Conclusion 13 10. Recommendations 14 10.1. Mobilization 14 10.2. Optimization 15 10.3. Communication 16 11. Notes from the Principal Investigator 16 12. Acknowledgements 17 Date: February, 2020. 1 13. Works Consulted 18 14. Works Cited 18 15. Appendix 20 15.1. Definitions and Criteria for Mental Health, Mental Illness, and Wellness. 20 15.2. UCPD Events and Policies 20 1. Introduction To holistically understand whether UChicago is treating mental health for under- graduate students adequately, this paper must first answer the question of what constitutes adequate mental health services, whether the current policies for men- tal health that fall within the jurisdiction of UChicago can be considered adequate, if students are satisfied with the support they receive, whether they are able to utilize SCS services to the extent that they need, and what actionable steps that UChicago can take in order to better achieve a standard of adequate mental health treatment for its undergraduate population. This report also looks at non-SCS responses to mental health, by looking into vari- ous services such as student groups like Lean On Me, non-UChicago resources such as Howard Brown Clinic (an LGBTQ+ clinic), the process and experience of stu- dents returning from a leave of absence, and mental health crises by looking at the April 2018 shooting of Charles "Soji" Thomas by a UCPD officer in response to his mental health episode based on an interview conducted with CareNotCops. It is an organization that deals with issues regarding police action, and has been in contact with Thomas. Lastly, we conducted an interview with UCPD. Through a compre- hensive understanding of what mental health looks like at UChicago, acquired from several perspectives via interviews, data analysis, and literature review, we seek to create a list of recommendations to address the shortcomings in current treatment and improve the state of mental health on campus. 2. Definitions To begin to understand what mental health looks like at UChicago, we must first understand the general definitions of terms relating to mental health. The Univer- sity of Chicago currently states that: Student Counseling Service (SCS) is committed to promoting the mental health and well-being of UChicago undergraduate and grad- uate students by providing accessible, high-quality, culturally sen- sitive mental health services. We also provide outreach and consul- tation to the University community. All of our services are covered by the Student Services Fee, and there is no additional cost for students to access our services (Student Health and Counseling). By examining this statement, and the various other services included on the page, our team determined the three most important words to define in order to best 2 understand how the University seeks to address mental health. These are: men- tal health, mental illness, and well-being. Our definitions were compiled through consultation with multiple sources, selected for the following: (1) context through which terms were defined (2) diversity of perspectives represented within the source (3) applicability to college life and (4) similarity to a common definition. These sources are listed within the Works Consulted Section of this paper. For the defi- nitions of these words and our justification for these definitions, see Section 14.1 in the Appendix. 3. Current Mental Health Record Relating to the University of Chicago Currently, SCS at UChicago guides its services by using national data sets per- taining to college mental health. Some of these sources include the Healthy Minds Network from the University of Michigan, the American College Health Associ- ation, and the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Pennsylvania State Uni- versity. Unfortunately, there is a lack of public quantitative mental health data from UChicago. "The Real Life of the Mind," a documentary created by Active Minds, an Registered Student Organization (RSO) meant to open conversations about mental health, demonstrated that SCS has had trouble identifying exact stu- dent needs, has a lack of clear policies, and has been involved in cases of forced hospitalization, just to name a few cases regarding some students' past experiences. There are 35 relevant stories on the University of Chicago Maroon domain pertain- ing to SCS or related to mental health on campus, the earliest of which was dated September 2012. In November 2019, Student Government passed the "Resolution on Improving Access to Mental Health Resources," resolving to create a "stan- dardized mental health pass [to present to professors to excuse absences related to mental health]" and encouraging departments to "adopt policies to help students manage their workloads," demonstrating a prioritization of mental health in the 2019-2020 academic year. The administration has yet to respond. Given the academic rigor and the ever increasing competition at UChicago, we feel a strong need to conduct a comprehensive and quantitative study aimed at uncovering the mental health reality on campus in order for SCS to better deliver their services. 4. Current Services offered by the University of Chicago Current services offered by SCS are accessible through their website (Student Health). A list of current programs and their descriptions are listed below, taken through this website. Academic Skills Assessment Program: Designed to help students improve their academic performance by addressing a number of concerns that can interfere with effective learning. Alcohol and Other Drugs Prevention: Provides resources and support services to help students responsibly manage their intake of alcohol and other drugs. 3 Campus Outreach: SCS staff partner with major academic divisions and offices on campus to provide consultation to deans of students, faculty, staff, and administra- tors regarding supporting students with mental health concerns. Eating Concerns Support and Assessment: The main role of this team is to pro- vide consultation, assessment, and treatment recommendations to students who are struggling with eating concerns. Our team meets twice per month to discuss clinical cases and make treatment recommendations based on the student's individualized needs Let's Talk (Drop-in Therapy Sessions): Let's Talk provides easy access to free, in- formal, and confidential consultations with therapists from the Student Counseling Service. No appointment is necessary. Mental Health First Aid: It is an eight-hour training designed to give participants the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Mindfulness Meditation: Each Mindfulness Meditation course is held over four weeks and includes instruction and practice of mindfulness meditation and other mind/body techniques to help reduce stress. Psychiatric Consultation: Student will meet with a psychiatric provider at SCS if required by the result of an intake appointment or a later SCS therapy appointment. SCS currently has three psychiatrists and one psychiatric advanced practice nurse on staff. Referrals to Other Medical or Mental Health Specialists: SCS therapists may refer the student to a therapist outside of SCS if ongoing therapy is the most appropriate treatment for the student's mental health concerns. SCS staff will help the student find a therapist outside of SCS who takes the student's insurance. SCS also has a case manager who can provide ongoing support in helping him/her find a therapist who is a good fit. Substance Use Evaluations: Therapists at Student Counseling Service (SCS) per- form substance use evaluations. This evaluation will involve meeting with a thera- pist who will make recommendations. These recommendations may include a "harm reduction" approach or more formal treatment for substance abuse or addiction. If such treatment is recommended, SCS can help students find a program. Therapy (Individual and Couples): SCS helps students address mental health con- cerns, including responses to stress and traumatic experiences. Through therapy, students can establish a collaborative, confidential relationship with a therapist who can help them learn coping strategies and work through their concerns Therapy Groups: Groups at SCS create a welcoming, nonjudgmental environment where students can feel comfortable being open and honest about their struggles or current life situations. 4 5. Survey Results Our survey was completed by 265 undergraduate students across all years, rep- resenting various demographic indicators of race, sexuality, and housing arrange- ments.
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