Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS)

1. Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) 860.486.4705 www.cmhs.uconn.edu Student Health Services Annex Barry A. Schreier, Ph.D., Director

2. Let’s Look @ National #’s • 10.4% Charge for Individual Counseling • CMHS Charges For Individual Counseling • 42% Are Supported By A Mandatory Fee • CMHS Is Supported By A Mandatory Fee • 40% Limit Sessions (X=5.4 Sessions) • CMHS Limits Sessions (X=5.2 Sessions) • 49% Pre-Assess Before Assigning Clients • CMHS Pre-Assesses • 1:1311 Staff to Student Ratio • CMHS Ratio is 1:1545 • 9% of Student Body Served • CMHS Served 9% in 2006 (N=1762) • 58% Offer Psychiatric Services • CMHS Offers Psychiatric Services

3. Some Unpleasant National #’s Of UCC Directors: • 92% report increase mental illness on campus. • 40% report “severe” mental illness on campus. • 92% report increase of students already on psychiatric medications (28% of UCC students on medications). • Reported 142 Suicides with 10% as clients (N=14) • 32% were on psychiatric medication and 23% had a previous psychiatric hospitalization • 19% committed suicide by firearm; 26% by hanging, 13% by ingesting toxins, 9% by jumping, and 33% by other methods • 3.8 per 100,000 students suicide • <50% report doing enough to reduce suicide. • 53% report increase in self-injury cases. • 55% report legal permissibility to tell parents about hospitalization.

4. Some Unpleasant National #’s II • 9.8% of directors accept mandatory referrals for both assessment and counseling. • 47.4% accept mandated referrals for assessment purposes only • 12% accept no mandated referrals. . . .AND THIS IMPORTANT REPRIEVE: • 76% of students report feeling “significantly” helped by counseling. • 60% of students reported knowing counseling helped them stay and perform better in school.

5. “Distressed Students” 101 • Consult • If You Think You Should, Then Do • Do Too Much Rather Than Too Little • Stay Engaged (Connect, Engage, Accept, Reflect) • Nervous? Who Isn’t! • Practice Makes Comfort • Front Line & Refer • Activate the Network & Go It Together • Counseling and Mental Health Services • Student Health Service • Dean of Students Office • Parents/Families • Office of Public Safety • Residence Life Office

6. CMHS Services • Individual Counseling • Couples Counseling • Group Counseling • Medication Assessment/Provision • Assessment • Outreach Programming • Consultation • Training

7. Accessing CMHS Services Triage Appointment Scheduled in 1-3 Working Days Call 860.486.4705 Referral Out to Community 20 Minute Triage Assessment Call Speak/Meet with On-Call Therapist Same Day Urgent Intake in 2-3 Working Days Referral Out to Community Intake Scheduled in 2-5 Working Days & Appointment in One Week+ Medication Evaluation

8. What CMHS Needs • Communicate that Bases are Covered Well • Response to Faculty & Staff Worry/Fear • Promotion of “Students in Distress” handbook • Assistance with Major Initiatives • Create Direct Lines of Communication • Pull The Web Tightly

9. Three Friendly Reminders You Can Call Us We Have Your Back We Can Come To You