The Campus Crisis Center: A Comprehensive Model for Supporting Students in Need
Higher education institutions are facing an increased need to provide support to students in crisis. From mental health concerns to financial hardships, campuses are confronting a myriad of complex issues. To address these needs, many institutions are implementing Campus Crisis Centers (CCC). This article reviews the literature on the components of a successful CCC, and discusses the potential benefits of such a comprehensive approach.
Rising Mental Health Concerns
Mental health concerns among college students have become a growing issue in recent years. The American College Health Association found that, among college students surveyed in the Spring of 2019, the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues is higher than ever before (American College Health Association, 2019). In addition, a survey conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness in 2017 reported that more than one-third of college students had experienced a mental health crisis in the previous year (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2017). These alarming statistics demonstrate the urgent need for universities to provide comprehensive mental health support.
Components of a Campus Crisis Center
A CCC is a comprehensive support system designed to meet the unique needs of a campus’s student population. The components of a successful CCC include:
1. Mental health services: These services can include on-campus counseling, psychological assessment, and referrals to off-campus providers.
2. Crisis intervention services: This includes providing support during a crisis and coordinating appropriate interventions.
3. Financial assistance: This can include providing emergency grants or loans to students in need.
4. Referrals to external resources: This includes providing information about available community services and resources.
5. Outreach and education: This includes providing educational programs to promote awareness of mental health issues and to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.
Benefits of a Campus Crisis Center
A comprehensive CCC provides numerous benefits to both students and universities. For students, it offers access to a wide range of services and support in a single convenient location. This can help reduce the stress of navigating multiple resources and ensure that students receive the help they need. For universities, a CCC can help reduce the financial burden of providing mental health services and enable them to better meet the needs of their student population.
Conclusion
The need for comprehensive mental health support on college campuses is growing. A Campus Crisis Center is a promising approach to address this need by providing students with access to a wide range of services and support in a single convenient location. The components of a successful CCC, as well as the potential benefits of such a comprehensive approach, are discussed in this article.
References
American College Health Association. (2019). American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II: Reference Group Executive Summary Spring 2019. Retrieved from https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/NCHA-II_Executive_Summary_Spring_2019.pdf
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2017). College students speak: Mental health facts and figures. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Newsroom/2017/College-Students-Speak-Mental-Health-Facts-and-Figures