Josette Cline, Ph.D and Mindy Wilkerson, LCSW gave a team presentation titled Assisting Distressed Students: An Update on College Student Mental Health.
Assisting Distressed Students: An Update on College Student Mental Health
Josette Cline, Ph.D and Mindy Wilkerson, LCSW gave a team presentation titled “Assisting Distressed Students: An Update on College Student Mental Health” for the TFSC New and Not-So-New Faculty Lunch Series. This presentation began with an overview of services offered by University of Arkansas Pat Walker Health Center Counseling and Psychological Service (CAPS) after their expansion. Attendees were reminded that CAPS is here to serve the student population and their new relaxation room sounds like just what students need some days! Their website has more information about their amazing staff, facility, and services.
Dr. Cline reminded us that as faculty members our job is not to be counselors for our students but rather to direct them to the services that are offered for them. This direction can be including a reminder in our syllabus about CAPS or recognizing that students may need more immediate assistance and walking with them to CAPS at the Pat Walker Health Center. Students can also drop in to the CAPS outreach program called Let’s Talk and have an informal discussion with a counselor who will direct them to useful resources and hopefully provide insights and solutions. You can submit your concern to help any student you think might need it – this site goes to the Dean of Students office and they are skilled in reaching out to students. U of A cares is also available for reporting students.
Wilkerson walked us through statistics on our students. The University of Arkansas student population has approximately the same number of self-harm incidents as other Universities and as such we should all do our best to help our students get the assistance they need. While faculty are not trained counselors, we can learn how to engage a student, reduce stigma, and increase help-seeking behavior. She also generously offered to come speak with students at the beginning of the semester to let them know about services available to them on campus – CAPS really wants faculty and students to reach out and start the conversation!
64% of students say that they were more likely to succeed and stay in school after faculty directed them to CAPS. If you as their professor think that you see something that they may need help with, send them to CAPS and they can help them succeed – and that is everyone’s goal!
This content was developed from a presentation by Josette Cline and Mindy Wilkerson which was sponsored by the The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC) at the University of Arkansas.
The presentation can be downloaded and viewed as a PDF: coming soon