Student wellbeing is foundational to academic success. One recent survey of postsecondary educators found that nearly 80 percent believed emotional wellbeing is a "very" or "extremely" important factor in student success. Studies have found the dropout rates for students with a diagnosed mental health problem range from 43 percent to as high as 86 percent. While dealing with stress is a normal part of life, for some students, stress can adversely affect their physical, emotional, and psychological health, particularly given that adolescence and early adulthood are when most mental illnesses are first manifested. In addition to students who may develop mental health challenges during their time in postsecondary education, many students arrive on campus with a mental health problem or having experienced significant trauma in their lives, which can also negatively affect physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. The nation's institutions of higher education are seeing increasing levels of mental illness, substance use and other forms of emotional distress among their students. Some of the problematic trends have been ongoing for decades. Some have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic consequences. Some are the result of long-festering systemic racism in almost every sphere of American life that are becoming more widely acknowledged throughout society and must, at last, be addressed. Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education lays out a variety of possible strategies and approaches to meet increasing demand for mental health and substance use services, based on the available evidence on the nature of the issues and what works in various situations. The recommendations of this report will support the delivery of mental health and wellness services by the nation's institutions of higher education.

The chapter authors address life transitions and the university student experience, as well as the challenges of caring for university students with mental health issues. The book has positive strategies, including ways to foster mental health for distinct university student populations.

Case-based intervention strategies for mental health professionals working with college and university students. Young adults enter college with many challenges—complicated family dynamics, identity issues, and extreme pressure to succeed, among others. Students may also have mental health difficulties, ranging from adjustment disorders to mood disorders, and growing numbers of them are seeking help on campus. But these students are also resilient and eager to learn, stepping onto campus with hope for a new and better phase of life. Doris Iarovici, a psychiatrist at Duke University Counseling and Psychological Services, sees in college and university mental health services an opportunity for mental health professionals to bring about positive change with young people during a crucial period of their development. Dr. Iarovici describes the current college mental health crisis and narrates how college mental health services have evolved along with changes in student populations. She discusses students’ lifestyle problems and psychiatric concerns, using case vignettes to explore a variety of interventions. Included are discussions of substance abuse, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, depression and anxiety, and culture clashes. Problems uniquely addressed in this book include sleep disturbances and perfectionism. An essential component of the volume is a guide to making emergency assessments, from risk classification and hospitalization to public safety and communication within and outside the campus community.

Mental Health among Higher Education Faculty, Administrators, and Graduate Studentsaddresses how many academics who experience mental distress or mental illness are afraid to speak out because of cultural stigma and fears of career repercussions. Many academics’ reluctance to publicly disclose their struggles complicates attempts to understand their experiences through research or popular media, or to develop targeted mental health resources and institutional policies. This volume builds on the existing studies in this greatly under-researched area of mental health among faculty, administrators, and graduate students in higher education. The chapters’ research findings will help institutions communicate about mental health in culturally-competent and person-centered ways; create work environments conducive to mental well-being; and support their academic employees who have mental health challenges. This book argues that discussions of health and wellness, equity, workload expectations and productivity, and campus diversity must also cover chronic illness and disability, which include mental health and mental illness.

Mental health concerns are the most serious and prevalent health problems among students in higher education. Increasingly effective psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments have facilitated matriculation for students with histories of anxiety, mood, personality, eating and substance abuse disorders. This phenomenon has been accompanied by a striking increase in the number of previously undiagnosed students requesting treatment. College and university mental health programs struggle to care for larger numbers of students, necessitating greater interdisciplinary collaboration in treatment, research, outreach, and educational services. This book fills an important gap in the literature and provides a comprehensive resource for nearly every aspect of college mental health. It includes a strong emphasis on the training and education of graduate and professional students for future work in this field. Chapters are devoted to the significant ethical and legal issues related to treatment and associated administrative and policy challenges. Scholarly chapters on the promise of community mental health and public health approaches are especially innovative. There is also a chapter on international issues in college mental health which will be helpful to those students studying abroad. Mental Health Care in the College Community is written by acknowledged experts from mental health, college and university administration, legal and educational disciplines, all with extensive administrative and clinical experience in higher education settings. This book is clearly written and well illustrated with abundant tables, charts, and figures. This text will become essential reading for college mental health clinicians, graduate students in the mental health disciplines (psychiatry, psychology, counselling, nursing, and social work), student affairs deans and their staff, and even presidents or provosts of universities and colleges.

"What is the responsibility of college and university administrators when it comes to students with mental health concerns? How do mental health services fit within the academic mission of the institution? College student mental health: effective services and strategies across campus, answers these questions and advocates for a campus-wide support network, along with good mental health services, to improve students' academic performance and, ultimately, retention and graduation" -- Cover, p.4.

Among the multitude of challenges and adversities students face during their first year of higher education, many experience deterioration of their emotional or mental health. Current research focuses on the perceived rise in the breadth and complexity of student mental health concerns at four-year colleges and universities. Even though community college students encompass the majority of individuals enrolled in the United States higher education system, no research specifically examines the mental health prevalence of these students and whether these difficulties negatively impact persistence. This study explored the relationship between evidence of mental health problems and fall-to-spring persistence for first-year students at a small size Midwestern community college. Quantitative data were collected from a voluntary survey administered to students enrolled in the Fall term freshman orientation courses. The survey identified psychological symptoms and distress as measured by eight distinct Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-62) subscales, prior mental health treatment, gender, age, financial aid status, and employment status as possible predictor variables of student persistence. Persistence was evaluated by successful completion of the fall semester and enrollment in spring semester classes. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation data, and logistic regression analysis were used in this study. The findings provided evidence of the presence of mental health concerns among first-year community college students. Social anxiety and academic distress were the most commonly reported difficulties. Counseling services and the use of psychotropic medication were the most frequently sought after types of mental health treatment. Students who reported higher levels of academic distress also reported more depression and generalized anxiety symptoms. However, the logistic regression analyses failed to confirm that students' mental health concerns or treatment were predictive of fall semester completion or spring semester reenrollment status.