PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES
Preserving a student’s mental health is critical in preventing substance use, risk for suicide and strengthening their academic success. Providing adequate on-site access to ongoing mental health prevention support and direct services is the backbone of any college mental health system. Ideally, on-campus services will include both basic primary care mental health and crisis support.
Additionally, providing substance use education, prevention and treatment is a fundamental component of college mental health services on college campuses. Education about the dangers of substance misuse and drug diversion, the connection between substance use and relationship violence, academic performance and overall well-being, along with a variety of treatment options either on campus or in the community, is an important consideration for the college community.
There are five key objectives in the substance use and mental health domain:
- Take an active role in helping students find adequate and comprehensive health insurance coverage – this allows students to seek and obtain the best optimal care for prevention and treatment of mental health issues and alleviates financial concerns while making treatment choices. Insurance coverage can favorably impact a student’s ability to remain in college.
- Create and maintain leave policies and protocols supporting students in distress – Clear and well-publicized policies for leaves of absence can help reduce stress and anxiety when a student might be in the midst of a medical or mental health crisis and may need to consider a leave of absence. Clear policy can help reduce the perceived stigma of needing to ask for and/or considering a leave of absence.
- Establish systems, protocols and processes that best help to coordinate necessary care for students – coordination of care between providers and services on/off campus facilitates continuity of care and a comprehensive/holistic approach to mental health treatment.
- Seek to expedite, increase, and provide access to all necessary clinical care services, including after-hours care – campuses will engage in a variety of activities designed to increase the likelihood that a student in crisis, distress, with mental health issues, with alcohol or other drug problems, or experiencing suicidal thought will seek and receive help.
- Create and maintain substance use policies and protocols supporting students – Preserving a student’s mental health is critical in preventing substance use, risk for suicide and strengthening their academic success. It is essential to diagnose and treat students with alcohol and other drug use disorders and educate students on the dangers of recreational substance use (alcohol, drugs), substance use, misuse of prescription drugs and drug diversion.
THIS CONTENT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE JED CAMPUS PLAYBOOK GUIDE.
To view all playbook resources within the Provide Mental Health and Substance Use Services domain, click here.
