New Counseling and Psychological Resources on Campus
In the face of a mental health crisis on campus, the Counseling and Psychological Services created new resources to better support students
With the start of a new academic year, the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) department has made significant changes to better support student mental health. An all-campus email sent on Sept. 15 to the Santa Clara student body announced a revamped Cowell Center.
To better aid students, the administration announced several changes. With new funding, CAPS increased the number of available psychologists, removed service fees, added a limited in-house pharmacy, and implemented new programs and services that have expanded the accessibility of on-campus support.
Because of these efforts, Hadley Johanson, an administrative assistant at the Cowell Center, is optimistic about the development of the center. “[The services] will be more accessible for all students no matter their schedules,” said Johanson. The removal of service fees and session limits “will ensure more students receive support.”
These changes have been administered due to student and alumni concern regarding a lack of mental health resources on campus. After several crises last year, demonstrations were held on campus for increased accessibility of mental health resources for students.
The demonstrations and a Change.org petition received campus-wide support. The outcry led to an increase in mental health staff funding from Santa Clara’s budget.
An article published by the Mayo Clinic in July 2022 cited that “44% of college students reported feeling symptoms of depression and anxiety.” Because of the transitional nature of college and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, college students are exposed to many factors that impact their mental health.
Despite the prevalence of anxiety and depression in college students, “ 75% of students are reluctant to seek help.” The Mayo Clinic claims that exposure to risk factors and resistance to seeking support can increase the likelihood of worsening mental health.
To address these issues, CAPS has developed new resources to support students. For example, the CAPS 24/7 support line was established this year. This line is available to all full-time students and provides mental health support “24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
“CAPS 24/7 will be a vital resource for all students who need that extra bit of support in the darkest of times,” said Andres Garza, a junior community facilitator. “Change and [unforeseen challenges] are difficult for everyone and CAPS 24/7 will be the bridge for all students to receive help professionally and confidentially. It is a tool every university needs.”
CAPS will also continue offering individual and group counseling appointments and workshops. These resources will be more readily available because of an increase in therapist staff and, according to the email sent to the community, “eliminated service fees and session limits.”
Support is also more accessible due to the addition of Counselors in Residences. The Counselors in Residence live on campus and conduct individual therapy, as well as organize sessions to address the needs of residents and support residence life staff.
Some programs include the Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). These programs train students to recognize warning signs of mental health concerns and appropriately respond. Because of these programs, Santa Clara University students will be able to support each other in the face of mental health concerns by recommending CAPS suitable resources.
Assistant Resident Director of Magis Residential Learning Community, Petra Glenn, believes the addition of Counselors in Residence will have a noticeable impact. “A live-in mental health resource [will make] getting help more accessible but also more personal,” said Glenn. “ [I am] incredibly excited by the addition of [Counselors in Residence] position and hope to see continual growth for CAPS resources for students in residence life and for the general student body.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available on and off campus.
24-hour Suicide and Crisis Line: (988)
Santa Clara University’s 24/7 mental health counseling line is available to all students: (408) 554-5220