Spring Break
Psychiatric services lag behind average
DIANA PEREZ
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The University's Counseling and Psychiatric Services falls short of the national average for providing psychiatric services to students, officials said.
The University Committee on Student Affairs discussed this issue at its meeting Wednesday.
Thomas Burke, the associate vice president for student affairs, brought up the issue at the meeting.
"The national average is one counselor for every 1,500 students, but we only have one counselor for over 2,000 students," he said.
In light of the Virginia Tech shootings, the University has become more concerned with providing adequate mental health services for students, but CAPS is still understaffed, Burke said.
He pointed out that because of a modern day acceptance of counseling, there is now more of "a need for those kinds of services," and CAPS continues to become overwhelmed each year.
The Committee also discussed the expansion of the Health Center, which begins with the installation of the construction fence at the Health Center's parking lot on Oct. 15. The University hopes to alleviate space constraints for the Health Center with the expansion.
Burke added, "A couple years ago, we combined the counseling services with the mental health care center to better serve students. Right now, we understand that CAPS is understaffed, but we are also one of the few universities in the nation to provide a [Joint Commission on Accreditation Healthcare of Organizations] accredited mental health care center for our students."
The JCAHO evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs in the U.S. as an independent non-profit organization.
The Committee on Student Affairs plans to continue discussion of the lack of psychiatric services offered at the University as well as expansion of the Health Center, and to generate solutions to help solve them. The committee meets each month, and students are welcome to attend. The tentative date for the next meeting is Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. in the Holmes-Hunter academic building.
The University Committee on Student Affairs discussed this issue at its meeting Wednesday.
Thomas Burke, the associate vice president for student affairs, brought up the issue at the meeting.
"The national average is one counselor for every 1,500 students, but we only have one counselor for over 2,000 students," he said.
In light of the Virginia Tech shootings, the University has become more concerned with providing adequate mental health services for students, but CAPS is still understaffed, Burke said.
He pointed out that because of a modern day acceptance of counseling, there is now more of "a need for those kinds of services," and CAPS continues to become overwhelmed each year.
The Committee also discussed the expansion of the Health Center, which begins with the installation of the construction fence at the Health Center's parking lot on Oct. 15. The University hopes to alleviate space constraints for the Health Center with the expansion.
Burke added, "A couple years ago, we combined the counseling services with the mental health care center to better serve students. Right now, we understand that CAPS is understaffed, but we are also one of the few universities in the nation to provide a [Joint Commission on Accreditation Healthcare of Organizations] accredited mental health care center for our students."
The JCAHO evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs in the U.S. as an independent non-profit organization.
The Committee on Student Affairs plans to continue discussion of the lack of psychiatric services offered at the University as well as expansion of the Health Center, and to generate solutions to help solve them. The committee meets each month, and students are welcome to attend. The tentative date for the next meeting is Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. in the Holmes-Hunter academic building.
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