T
he combined effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic,
academic
pressure
and
socio-political
stresses
have created an environment
wherein college students are
often
left
feeling
anxious,
sad and hopeless. There is a
greater need than ever for well-
equipped therapy services for
students,
but,
unfortunately,
services at the University of
Michigan are behind the curve.
Counseling and Psychological
Services, the campus agency
that provides a range of mental
health services and information
to students, faces substantial
barriers in terms of funding and
capabilities.
On Feb. 15, in an open letter
to
Martino
Harmon,
the
University’s vice president for
student life, CAPS staff provided
a glimpse at the problems they
face in their line of work, from
uncompetitive salaries to rising
turnover rates. These problems
limit their capacity to work,
which is to provide an essential
service to U-M students who
depend on their assistance for
a variety of reasons. A stable
staff, sustainable income and a
high-functioning
professional
environment
are
necessary
for the mental health services
on campus to flourish, which
must
be
provided
by
the
University. University President
Santa
Ono
should
dedicate
his
administration
to
the
betterment of CAPS services
and cultivate an environment
that values the mental well-
being of all students, faculty and
staff.
Nationwide, mental health
practitioners
have
seen
a
significant increase in demand
for services. In the same vein, on
college campuses, practitioners
have also seen major increases
in demand for care, even prior
to
the
pandemic,
but
this
increased
demand
has
not
typically resulted in increased
funding for campus mental
health services. Harmon has
stated his support for improving
mental
health,
and
helped
launch a student mental health
committee to outline a “broad
institutional approach.” This
is not the first time that CAPS
has publicized its significantly
increased demand, either; in
2016, CAPS director Dr. Todd
Sevig noted a 20% increase in
students requesting services for
the fall semester in 2015.
CAPS does not need to be
absorbed by another service,
such
as
University
Health
Service; rather, the University
needs to bolster CAPS’s ability
to fulfill its present scope of
service. In its current form,
students often have to wait
for several weeks to get a
consultation for services from
CAPS — especially during peak
periods in the fall semester.
Increases
in
the
budget
allocated to CAPS outpaced
inflation in all years except
in fiscal years 2019-2020 and
2020-2021. In 2019-2020, CAPS
experienced a 21% decrease in
funding, while in 2020-2021, the
unit received no budget increase
whatsoever. CAPS is budgeted
for under the Vice President
of Student Life office, which
received a minuscule budget
increase of 0.2% in 2020-2021.
Although CAPS’s budget for
the current fiscal year increased
the amount they have to spend
by 13%, this has not been enough
to meet industry standards
or student demand. Salaries
at CAPS are uncompetitive
with peer institutions. A 2022
site visit by the International
Accreditation
of
Counseling
Services noted a “significant
concern”
that
professional
staff salaries are below similar
positions at other universities
and local and regional offices. In
order to best retain quality staff
members and to compensate for
the difficult heavy caseloads
they face in their roles, mental
healthcare providers must be
adequately paid.
When
tragedy
strikes
for
students,
CAPS
is
often
the
University’s
first
recommendation. In the wake
of the Michigan State University
tragedy, the first email from the
University of Michigan’s Office
of the President listed CAPS, the
Faculty and Staff Counseling
and Consultation Office, and
the Michigan Medicine Office
of Counseling and Workplace
Resilience
under
support
resources. During devastating
and stressful events that impact
students, CAPS is treated as a
catch-all for short-term support.
By increasing funding to CAPS
to provide for staff needs, and
therefore provide for current
students, CAPS may become an
even more sought-after resource
when it is made more reliable. In
order to decrease the pressures
put on CAPS, and increase the
available resources, students
must be directed to other
services already available to
them, which — despite being left
unmentioned in email sign-offs
— are accessible through U-M
health websites.
Under
“Resources
for
Stress
and
Mental
Health”
from UHS, CAPS is only one
resource of many. To name a
few, MiTalk provides online
tools for students to manage
stress
and
mental
health;
CampusMindWorks
promotes
post-mental health diagnosis
information
and
resources
with a searchable database; the
University Psychological Clinic,
while not paid for by student
tuition, acts as a therapy and
testing center; and Wellness
Coaching
supports
student
well-being in many aspects of
students’ lives, from substance
use to sexual health. Through
the
LSA
Newnan
Advising
Center
and
the
University
Career
Center,
academically
centered support is also an
option for students. In addition
to these U-M tools, there are
also student organizations that
offer community and mental
health
support,
like
Active
Minds, PULSE and Wolverine
Support Network.
CAPS
cannot
efficiently
and proactively exist as an all-
encompassing office for mental
health and student struggles,
particularly when it is not
meant to be used for long-term
support. On average, students
seeking services from CAPS
attend
3.5
sessions,
though
it is unclear if one of these
sessions counts as the required
initial consultation. After five
sessions, it is much less likely for
students to receive continued
counseling from CAPS: when
students’ needs are “beyond
CAPS’s scope of practice,” or
past
the
individual
session
limit, referrals to therapists
and health care outside of the
University are provided, though
not consistently. An optional
standardized referral process
could aid interested students
in finding reliable help after
CAPS, as well as increase the
organization’s reliability and
the overall long-term health of
students.
This
Editorial
Board
is
optimistic about the University’s
recent decision to partner with
Uwill, a teletherapy service. In
a Daily news article, the U-M
Public
Affairs
department
stated that reviews from 450
pilot program participants were
positive; as Uwill is opened
up to the whole campus, we
hope that CAPS and Uwill are
better able to absorb student
demand. However, even if this
development may lead to a
better mental health situation
on campus, it does not substitute
for responding to CAPS’s needs.
The University should still meet
with CAPS and determine a
competitive salary increase.
A tuition-supported service
made
available
after
CAPS
sessions would also be helpful
for students. They could be
matched to a stable and reliable
mental health clinician that fits
their specific needs without
the concern of high therapy
costs stopping them. While
plenty of students seek only
the
short-term
counseling
promised by CAPS, referrals
to longer-term care should be
made consistently. Alongside
referrals, the University should
better advertise low-cost, long-
term possibilities outside of
CAPS that would serve the
interested student population.
CAPS cannot be the only student
resource listed at the end of an
email, nor should it be the only
option for U-M students, for the
benefit of both CAPS employees
and the students that CAPS
services.
CAPS is too often the only
option for U-M students seeking
counseling,
but
it
should
not be. For students without
expendable resources to search
for therapy services, and for
those who do not want their
guardians notified that their
insurance is being used for
therapy, CAPS is likely the best
option. Given the centrality of
CAPS in many students’ pursuit
of therapy services, we cannot
diminish the importance of
funding this campus unit and
supporting its clinicians. Even
if CAPS cannot provide students
with long-term support, the
program should be allotted the
resources to be effective in the
short term. CAPS would not
only be able to better support
students by providing a first
step in therapy services, but
it would also serve as a more
effective referral point for more
long-term therapy options.
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 — 12
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Opinion
Debates
on the
Diag
Big celebration
Design by Edith Hanlon
From The Daily: UMich needs
to capitalize on mental health
resource improvements
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
EDITORIAL BOARD
Y
ou don’t know how to
talk to your international
friend.
There
are
three
categories
of students at the University
of
Michigan:
in-state,
out-of-
state and international. Of the
51,225 students who attended the
University in 2022, a little less than
one-fifth were international. So,
chances are you’re going to come
across some sooner rather than
later — and I’m here to tell you that,
for the most part, your natural
instincts when you do are wrong.
Numerous studies, such as one
published in 2016 by two PhD
students at Iowa State University,
have highlighted the alienation
that international students feel
compared
to
their
American
counterparts. As an international
student myself, there have been
numerous occasions where I have
felt that I simply do not belong — be
it in a classroom, a meeting or an
auditorium. Unfortunately, this is
a feeling I’m certain many, perhaps
too many, can relate to.
I do not believe that this feeling
of
isolation
for
international
students is the result of any
intentional thoughts and actions.
It is not that students and faculty
from the United States are out to
get us. If anything, I have found
that the opposite is true: Many will
go above and beyond to make me
feel welcome. But the issue isn’t
about feeling unwelcome — it is
about feeling like I don’t belong.
It’s a feeling that manifests itself in
even the tiniest of interactions.
The
first
mistake
happens
when, after introductions, they
respond with, “Oh I also know a
person named Rohan (i.e. another
Indian name). Do you know
Rohan?” Such a statement not only
goes a long way towards making
the other person feel like they are
being put in a box but also makes it
harder for you to identify them in
the future; it’s not their name that
you’ll remember, just the fact that
they reminded you of your other
ethnic friend.
The second mistake that many
make is a bit more subtle but, trust
me, we notice it. It’s the reaction
people give when we adhere to our
stereotypes. For example, when
I reveal that I, an Indian, am a
computer science major, there is
a sense of “of course, that’s what
I expected.” I understand that
some of these microaggressions
are not administered with any
malicious intent, but their effects
are certainly felt.
The most infuriating thing,
however, is the tokenistic way
in which international students
can be spoken about. Tokenism
in various sectors of society
is a widely discussed subject.
American TV shows, for example,
have often been criticized for
including only one or two members
from a minority community and
calling that inclusion, despite often
making those characters one-
dimensional — often nothing more
than a hodgepodge of stereotypes.
However, this phenomenon is not
limited to TV shows. I find that
international students are viewed
and talked about in a similar sense
on campus — as if their value
comes primarily from the diversity
they bring.
An example of this would be
when you tell me, upon realizing
that I am Indian, that your best
friend or your roommate is also
Indian, followed by “They taught me
how to make ‘insert Indian food’.”
While that is a cool thing for me
to know, I don’t think your natural
instinct when I ask you about your
American roommate is to first tell
me what cooking technique they
taught you. That is what needs to
change — this natural instinct to
reduce an individual to what their
culture can bring to the table rather
than what they as an individual can.
I’m not saying that there needs
to
be
large-scale,
institutional
changes. I can appreciate that it
is a mammoth task for students
and faculty to, at all times, cater
their actions to every potential
international
student
group.
You don’t know how to talk to your
international friend
RUSHABH SHAH
Opinion Columnist
Sleep can do wonders
for your well-being.
Getting a good
night’s rest?
Do you wish you could sleep better? Connect with
tools and resources at U-M that can help you
thrive — from wellness classes and apps to useful
information and counseling options.
Helping Leaders Feel Their Best:
wellbeing.umich.edu
Read more at MichiganDaily.com