2024 report by Forbes.com summarized A well-organized plan to navigate the college application process. Students and their families will benefit from examining the types of support services available on campus when deciding which school to attend. According to the American College Health Association’s 2024 executive summary report, many biggest barriers to academic performance it’s about mental health and/or stressors, not the difficulty of the course. Therefore, students are likely to need support in their personal lives throughout their academic careers.

On many campuses, the advising center is a visible office for student support. However, not all counseling centers are the same and their services and operations vary. Students and families should review the counseling center to determine whether the campus can meet specific mental health needs. This review should include discussions about the scope of implementation, usability of the session, and meeting expectations.

Scope of Application

American Medical Association in 2022 defined scope of application activities that a licensed healthcare professional is allowed to perform. As it relates to mental health providers, scope of practice refers to the types of presentations and methods of treatment of problems that the therapist has the experience, training, and capacity to treat. It is unethical for therapists to claim that they can treat any condition or be effective on any individual. There should be limitations to their scope of practice so that the public can make informed decisions when choosing a therapist.

Likewise, counseling centers cannot promise that they can treat every student on campus, especially on campuses with thousands of students. Such promises would be unethical, and it would be helpful to reflect on how even hospitals refer some patients. As discussed in the 2024 report Forbes.comsome schools They adopted new models in university health expand the scope of practice on campus. In summary, students and families should ask what the campus counseling center’s scope of practice is. This question is especially important if there is a history of high mental health needs.

Session Availability

According to Mental Health America’s 2024 report, Wait times for campus counseling centers can span weeksIt may be harmful for some students. It is important to note that in many parts of the country it may be faster to access services on campus than in the community. in 2022 psychology.org He commented: The national average wait time to access behavioral health services was 6 weeks. Additionally, unlike community providers where clients tend to adjust their schedules to attend a counseling session, campus counseling centers tend to be limited to students’ schedules. It is not uncommon for students in high-demand majors to report having an hour or two during the week to schedule a session. Such a limited schedule will increase the waiting time. Therefore, when reviewing a campus counseling center, it is not just a matter of asking how many appointments are available, it is also important to examine the student’s schedule. If a student has a limited or inconsistent schedule, a campus counseling center may not be the most appropriate option.

Another issue that needs to be examined is the availability of crisis services. Some schools, Like the counseling center at Arizona State UniversityThey state that they prioritize immediate access, especially for students in crisis. Many schools also offer 24/7 telephone counseling helplines. For many families, knowing what resources are available in the event of a mental health crisis will provide peace of mind.

Meeting Expectations

One of the best things students and their families can do when examining a campus counseling center is to discuss what they want from counseling. For example, if the expectation is that the student will attend sessions more than once a week and/or on weekends, this may not be a good fit for the campus counseling center. Additionally, if there is an expectation that counseling will continue for years, this may not be possible because most counseling centers are not equipped to allow a student to use an appointment slot for that long. Administrators of counseling centers can explain to students and their families that the center can meet expressed expectations.

Like colleges and universities in general, no two campus counseling centers are the same. Some centers may offer special programs for students with high mental health needs and/or special crisis services. While other centers may offer long-term individual counseling, some may be limited to short-term counseling focused on helping students experiencing mild distress. Review support services can give you a better picture of what life on campus might be like and help you decide which school to attend.