Higher Education Mental Health Crisis:
Are They The Best Years of their Lives?
Instructor: Maureen M. McGuinness, Ed.D
CLOSED
Course Overview:
More and more college students are being dropped off on College and University Campuses with mental health issues: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, stress, eating disorders, suicide attempts, drug and alcohol issues and many of them are on medications to help them with their issues. Many parents and students believe that it is the University's job to "fix" the student based on the resources available to the student and our institutions are struggling trying to assist students in record numbers. According to a 2004 survey by the American College Health Association, nearly half of all college students report feeling so depressed at some point in time that they have trouble functioning, and 15 percent meet the criteria for clinical depression.
This three week course will explore many different facets of mental health issues facing many of our students, how universities nationally and internationally are approaching the subject, educating their communities, working with parents and mental health practitioners.
Participants will gain knowledge and insight on many different aspects of mental health issues, the therapies involved in assisting our students deal with issues, who needs to be involved in discussing issues concerning mental health issues and specific student behavior, as well as mental health issues concerning FERPA and HIPPAA. They will also be educated on resources available to Colleges and Universities regarding suicide prevention and mental health issues.
This course is recommended for all levels of Student Affairs professionals, paraprofessionals, and academic advisers.
Case studies, articles, and internet links will be discussed and used.
Course Outline:
Topics to be covered:
- Definition of different types of mental health issues and their estimated affect on college students today.
- Therapies used to treat mental health issues
- Growing trends with college students and the 15 year increase in mental health issues.
- Importance of working relationships between different offices and departments concerning issues facing our students (Counseling departments, housing, judicial affairs, police, legal, academic advising, international office, etc)
- Importance of training paraprofessional staff and live in staff to respond to mental health issues and suicide prevention.
- Importance of educating parents about resources available to students and the of building a relationship with them in order to assist their student.
- Recommendations in promoting mental health issues and suicide prevention on campus
- Gain insight on trends, professional research conducted on this topic amongst professional associations, the medical field and research institutions.
- Understand how situations such as Shin v. MIT and Virginia Tech affect universities
- Other issues such as ADA, FERPA, HIPPA and the stigmatisms involved with mental health issues.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, active participants will gain:
- Have a good understanding of mental health issues, although you will not be a certified psychiatrist, you will have a better understanding of symptoms, behaviors and areas of concern.
- Understand college and university issues surrounding mental health issues and the growing epidemic that affects the entire campus
- Understand the impact that mental health issues can have on a college campus and protecting the university community.
- Assess the importance of educating the college and university community in which the participant is involved (students, faculty and staff).
- Understand the influence a student affairs professional can have on the lives of students in crisis and dealing with mental health issues.
- Reflect on departmental and university-wide training and resources concerning student mental health disorders and prevention.
Participant Expectations:
Participants should plan to spend approximately 3 to 4 hours per week in this course. This will include time to read materials, complete on-line exercises and surveys and participate in asynchronous on-line discussions. Participants will need to log on for course content that will be posted weekly. In addition participants will need to respond to questions posted on the discussion board each week. As the discussion board is asynchronous, students may check in and post at their convenience. This learning tool will be an important part of participant's learning experience.
Instructor Bio:
Maureen "Moe" McGuinness
is the Associate Director for Student Leadership & Judicial Affairs in the University of North Texas Housing Department.
Moe has been at UNT since 1998, and has served as a University Judicial Officer for the past 9 years, working with students who have mental health issues or who have attempted suicide,
and has advised the Residence Hall Association for 10 ½ years. Moe has presented at the Texas Higher Education Law Conference; the Southwest Association of College and University Housing Officers Conference
a number of times and serves as an adjunct faculty member for the Program in Higher Education at UNT teaching in areas of programming in Student Development; and an adjunct faculty member for the Psychology department
teaching Psychology 1000 for the past 8 years. Areas of interest for Moe are Parental Notification, Binge Drinking, Underage Alcohol use, Suicidal Students and Memorializing Students who have passed away while
they are students at the University, student organizations, student leadership, service to students and leadership programs. She is also a member of the UNT Suicide Prevention Grant Team and certified in QPR training.
Moe is a single mother of three wonderful children: Kevin (10), Reilly (9) and Regan (4).
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