Colleges tackle worrying trends in mental health | Education

In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown and in the challenging months that have followed, higher education leaders across the country have been troubled to discover how unprecedented times have scarred the young adults they are responsible for protecting.

The impact of this has special meaning for Elizabeth Kennedy, who studied and taught psychology at the University of Akron before moving on to lead Missouri Western State University in 2020. Kennedy, president of Missouri Western, reviews this problem with a scientific eye. .

“You have to remember our sophomores this year were freshmen last year, only they didn’t really have a freshman; they were the ones who were isolated,” she said. “And our juniors and seniors, they were on campus, but that environment was basically away from them. So offering students opportunities, ways to express their emotions… is essential.

Suicide has become the second leading cause of death among college-aged adults, according to a study published in the journal Psychiatry Affective Disorders Diary. September was designated in light of such realities as Suicide Prevention Month, and the Missouri Western timed its conclusion with an expansion of mental health services.

Kennedy and Kristina Hannon made it official at a signing event this week, and not too soon, based on national data Hannon reviewed. She is determined to expand services to fix the problem now before a crisis leads to the unthinkable on a local college campus.

“We’re seeing an increasing trend in suicide for all ages, but particularly in the 18 to 24 demographic,” said Hannon, co-CEO of the Family Guidance Center for Behavioral Healthcare. “This sets up a truly worrying trend that will impact us for years to come.”

Hannon’s organization, based in St. Joseph, will provide a full-time mental health professional on campus. This person will complement Katie Jeffers, board director at Missouri Western, who works full-time in therapy for students, as well as part-time aides.

Jeffers said the Family Guidance Center therapist will be supplemented by a later new hire at Missouri Western. The end goal is to have six people on duty for mental health needs, each able to see six patients per work day.

The need for more help is obvious. With the fall 2021 restoration of in-person counseling center services on Eder Hall’s second floor, capacity has been full, Jeffers said.

“I feel like it’s about being able to meet our students where they are, most definitely,” said Jeffers, who also conducts telehealth therapy over the internet. “But it’s been really, you know, great for our students.”

Kennedy promised that the university would continue to strive to make the campus a home for its students, where the Griffon family would help them overcome any challenges they might face.

“We see it on college campuses because it’s a population that’s maybe doing something for the first time in an adult world,” she said. “They live far from their families. They’re trying to make new friends, new relationships, and that’s a lot of stress to put on young adults these days. So I’m glad we have the opportunity to provide that support.

Maria J. Book