Despite staff increase, KU psychologists overloaded / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, April 28, 2007

April 28, 2007

Michael Lynch Maestas will become the next director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Kansas University this summer.

Maestas, 40, is a native Kansan who received a bachelor's degree from McPherson College and a doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The child of Mexican immigrants, he is the first member of his family to attend and graduate with a university degree.

For the past six years he has been on the staff of the Counseling Center at the University of Missouri; however, he said his first love, aside from his family, has always been KU basketball.

"I've bled crimson and blue ever since I was born," he said.

Stress is the No. 1 reported impediment to a student's academic performance, according to the National College Health Assessment.

Mental health difficulties are common among young adults, particularly on college campuses.

¢ 62.2 percent reported feeling things were hopeless within the past school year.

¢ 93.5 percent reported feeling overwhelmed by all they had to do.

¢ 91.5 percent felt exhausted from something other than physical activity.

¢ 79.4 percent reported feeling very sad.

¢ 43.8 percent reported feeling so depressed it was difficult to function.

¢ 9.3 percent reported seriously considering attempting suicide.

¢ 1.3 percent actually attempted suicide

Source: 2006 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment

Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter, was a mentally ill student who repeatedly had been referred to therapy.

His violence toward himself and others was well-documented even before the attacks, but is only the most extreme example of issues that affect many college students.

Studies show that as many as a quarter of college students may be on anti-depressants while at school. These students are regular visitors to campus clinics, including at Kansas University, which often must see a massive number of patients with limited staff. Visits can increase dramatically at this time of year, which a KU psychologist says is among the busiest.

"Midsemester tends to be our busiest time," said Dr. Pam Botts, a KU psychologist. "Though, in spring semester, it doesn't level off much until into finals."

According to a national survey of 96,000 college students, almost 10 percent of students actively considered suicide in 2006. Even more, 44 percent, felt so depressed it was difficult to function, according to data from the National College Health Assessment.

Psychologists overloaded

Considering those statistics and the levels of violence that can occur when a seriously mentally ill student does not get help, the International Association of Counseling Services recommends colleges and universities have one full-time professional counselor for every 1,000 to 1,500 students.

At KU, seven full-time staff members provide services to 27,875 students on the university's Lawrence and Edwards campuses. That's a ratio of one service provider to every 3,982 students. A variety of other services are provided by graduate students or interns, but those aren't considered in the IACS recommendations.

It can take three weeks or more for a student to be seen at one of the on-campus service providers, including Counseling and Psychological Services, known as CAPS, and the KU Psychological Clinic. CAPS is an IACS accredited clinic, while the KU Psychological Clinic almost exclusively uses graduate students in a Ph.D. program.

And while students who say they are an immediate danger to themselves or others can be seen immediately, most of the more than 60 students who visit CAPS every week don't fit that mold, said Botts, CAPS interim director.

"Everybody is in agreement that we do need more (counselors)," she said. "What are the problems? Probably funding."

Still, staffing is up over last year. Two positions were created this academic year to provide additional counseling resources to students, said Lori Reesor, associate vice provost for student success who oversees CAPS.

New director coming

"It's a priority for us," Reesor said. "It's a constant commitment of (the Office of) Student Success to look at KU and make sure it is the most supportive campus it can be."

Reesor also said staffing would increase by one additional member when a full-time director of CAPS comes on board.

The new director, Michael Lynch Maestas, comes from the University of Missouri and will join the staff this summer.

"One of his highest priorities will be to look at staffing and make a recommendation for potential changes," Reesor said.

Maestas said that MU, like KU, is understaffed. He said he hopes the tragic situation at Virginia Tech can help highlight the work that campus mental health centers do, and perhaps help them attain additional resources for that work.

"The eyes of students and parents across the country are going to be on campus mental health facilities," he said. "It's tragic that this incident must happen for that to occur."

Maestas said MU, with slightly fewer students, with 24,814 on campus, has the equivalent 8.75 full-time clinicians.

Dr. Kelly Bowers, director of counseling at Baker University, said that her goal is to see every student in need of counseling within two business days.

"I had a girl call today at 10:45 and she was in the office by 11," Bowers said Thursday. Baker also has a full-time social worker who sees patients.

Even with fewer than 900 students to potentially serve, there's no magic way to determine who has a problem that needs her services.

"My job is to be here for students when they seek out help," she said. "I can't go out and recruit students to get help."

Identification is key

Which is why the other activities that counselors provide can be just as important. Botts said that every year members of the CAPS staff meet with residence hall staffs and other offices on the KU campus to alert those individuals on how to identify a student who needs help and to make sure they get it.

"We're always available to consult with faculty and staff," Botts said. "We routinely are called by offices that deal directly with students, like advisers."

According to the college health survey, stress and depression are two of the five most commonly reported impediments to a student's academic success, with stress coming in at No. 1. Still, of all the information students receive from their university, suicide prevention comes in second from the bottom on a list of 11 kinds of information students may get.

Reesor, the KU associate vice provost, said the university has spent some time this year examining reasons why students leave KU, especially if it involves academic issues that may have some underlying cause, like depression or mental illness.

At KU, Reesor said, a student must violate a section of the Student Rights and Responsibilities policy in order to be involuntarily sent home. The policy makes no mention of mental illness or actions that may harm one's self, but it does include assault or violence toward others.

More often, the Office of Student Success may work with students and their family to decide what is the best course of action, Reesor said.

"We address every student as unique and every situation uniquely," she added. "We want to decide whether being here is the right thing for that student."

Discussion

LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

28 April 2007
at 9:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

oldgoof (Anonymous) says…

“It can take three weeks or more for a student to be seen”
..
perhaps *this* is a warning sign.
28 April 2007
at 10:35 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

SpiritTat (Anonymous) says…

It is difficult to follow… a linear format would make it more reader-friendly. I'm fine w/change - I experience quite a bit of it w/the career I have as well as w/parenting!

This new format, however, is nearly impossible to peruse (which is a favorite way for many to read/begin reading the paper - on-line and in paper form). The links are not immediately visible and finding out where the links are for such things as the crossword, events, and other items is just not easily found nor intuitional to the user.

Sorry, LJ folks. You all are my hometown paper and I love being able to stay connected w/the updates that go into the on-line site, plus keeping up w/local, regional, national and international news. But this new format makes me want to go elsewhere for my news where I can clearly, quickly find the topics etc. in which I'm interested.

Plus: where are the daily updates?!?!

Love my Lawrence paper; really really dislike the new on-line format.

~Spirittat
28 April 2007
at 10:36 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

SpiritTat (Anonymous) says…

Ok, sorry about that. I commented in the wrong place. That comment was meant (as is obvious) for the redesign question.

Ooops! No java yet this morning…
28 April 2007
at 12:50 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Godot (Anonymous) says…

This is unbelievable. Why would anyone pay for an experience that is so troubling and depressing?

Suggestion to the profs: Instill pride and hope for the future in these young adults. Stop pounding in them the belief that the country they call home is to blame for all the problems in the world, and that, in fact, the world is going to end in a few years because of the US.

Save your negativity and cynicism for cocktail hour; drop it when you hit the classroom door.

Maybe then 25% of your students would not need to be on anti-depressants.
28 April 2007
at 6:49 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

The problem is that parents treat their kids like spoiled brats. The kids go away to college, don't get A's handed to them, and they freak out and take pills. Most of the students on anti-depressants could help themselves by getting off their butts, away from the TV, and doing something other than complaining about school. Anti-depressants are being prescribed far too often. Sure, I didn't love all my college classes, but that was part of life. I didn't have to take a pill to deal with it.

Also, why don't they refer these kids to other local counseling services who don't have a waiting list? I guess KU wouldn't get the money, but these kids could be seen almost immediately elsewhere (non-Bert Nash).
28 April 2007
at 11:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

RonaldWilson (Anonymous) says…

“Studies show that as many as a quarter of college students may be on anti-depressants while at school.”

Are you sh!tting me? twenty-five percent? Somebody needs to put the prescription pad down and do their JOB, counseling. As in 'to counsel', not to dope, drug and mask the problem. Perhaps with some counseling the student will realize there is no real problem. Most young adults need a kick in the ass every once in a while to keep them focused. I sure did! Suck it up, Buttercup! and get off the junk.
29 April 2007
at 9:37 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

one glaring weakness of this article is that it presents the campus population stats for depression, suicide, etc, but does not present what these rates are for the general american population. %10 is higher, but not that much higher than many other american groups.

some of what godot says is right on. too many profs bring their anti-american anti-christian agenda into the classroom.

the other post about poor parenting not preparing kids today for a little stress is probably pretty close too.

I also think more should be done in the way of promoting positive social support among KU students. CAPS has a good track record as does the KU Psychological Clinic. not identified in the article is that both have crisis intervention plans, one on the telephone, one in person or phone.

if you're reading this and you are one who has depressive or suicidal thoughts, please talk to someone, there is assistance for you.