Washington universities struggle to serve all their students' mental health needs. Here's why
Seattle TimesMay 10, 2022
May 10—David, a sophomore pre-med student at the
Still, when he finally made it to campus this school year — attending labs in person for the first time after two years of online work — the stress was bubbling. Being on campus was challenging and exciting, but he felt higher expectations came with in-person learning.
"I felt like I had to have my foot pressed all the way down on the pedal 100% of the time, or else everything's just gonna fall apart," said David, who asked that only his middle name be used out of concern that speaking about mental health struggles could disqualify him from future professional opportunities.
"It just got to this point where I couldn't keep putting my foot down," he said.
In January, David had a manic episode — a period of extremely elated, irritable or energized behavior — and his fraternity brothers took him to
David and many other students now back on college campuses are experiencing not only the stress that comes from entering young adulthood, but also the added burden of the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop. And while David was lucky to get mental health care, many college students experience long wait times to see a counselor as
Even before the pandemic, college and university counseling systems couldn't provide enough services for students. COVID-19 exacerbated the problem, and it worsened as students returned to classes in person.
Staffing shortage
In an average school year, the
In 2021, as in-person classes returned, the demand for services grew again. Especially as finals approach, students reach out for help dealing with stress.
According to a 2020 report on student mental health at the
Despite being home to one of the best psychiatric teaching hospitals in the region, the university doesn't have the staff to help all the students who want or need services. Currently, the
"If we were able to serve all of [our students], and we were able to serve them for as many sessions as they needed, we would need more than 200 counselors, which honestly is not possible," said
And that was before the pandemic stressed out students and their families, as people worried about health, finances and political issues. With the virus, there were also moments of recalibration for mental health providers who contemplated their futures. The university lost several of its staffers, though it has since hired more.
Some realized they could set up a private practice from home and be fully booked with private practice clients within weeks — they didn't need to deal with insurers and could work out of their living rooms.
"They make more money working less hours. I can't fault people for that," said
To compensate, the center prioritizes students who need the highest levels of care immediately — students like David.
Other students, like
A junior studying political science, McDonald was diagnosed with anxiety and reached out to the
"I really was hoping to get [care at
Long waits
It's not just the
The city has one mental health agency in town; Bruns says some people wait up to about six months to see a practitioner. Though there are some private therapists, many don't take insurance. According to the
"Ideally, a student would be able to be seen within two to three weeks," said
"Last semester, [the wait time] was as long as six weeks, which is so discouraging to see. We know that six weeks later is a huge portion of the semester."
A broader shortage of mental health workers is well documented in
University Counseling Jobs, an online job board, has recorded a steady increase in demand for providers over the last five years. Though COVID-19 caused many colleges and universities to implement hiring freezes in 2020, that changed in 2021 and job posts increased by 60% on the site.
According to a separate 2021 report from the
"The request for care at college counseling centers has far surpassed the rate of enrollment," said
Campuswide concern
The college experience is a time of transition; a place for young people to learn, plan the start of their professional careers and explore their identities. But college also overlaps with a time when the adolescent brain is still developing. Three quarters of mental illnesses begin by age 24, and stress itself is a known factor in the development of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
From scholarship applications to competitive classes, campuses are taxing environments. Add in student loans and part-time jobs, and it can add up to devastating stress. A 2012 report by the
As McDonald put it, "You can't write a paper if you're too depressed or too anxious. You can try but that's not going to be as successful as your normal baseline."
That's why early intervention is vital, experts emphasize. Students can learn healthy coping mechanisms and start treatment, which can positively affect the rest of their lives.
So how can colleges do that?
Federal money from the 2020 CARES Act meant an additional
She also hopes that, rather than having a counseling center as a primary safety net for students' mental health needs,
That can mean accommodations for students like flexible deadlines, and more prevention services like peer support groups and wellness programs for stress management. Students like David and McDonald agree those changes could help students like them cope with the challenges of school in a world rebounding from a pandemic.
"The mental health of students is not just resting on the shoulders of the mental health professionals," said
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