collaborating to address student mental health & wellness...

2013 NASPA Annual Conference * Orlando, Florida * March 16-20, 2013

Collaborating to Address Student Mental Health & Wellness Tuesday, March 19 (7:15 AM - 8:15 AM) Grand Ballroom - Marriott

Taisha L. Caldwell, PhD. CalMHSA Student Mental Health Grant Program Manager

University of California Office of the President

Jennifer Miller, PhD. Director, Student Affairs Assessment,

Research and Staff Development CSU Channel Islands


Outline • Defining the problem “Doing more with less” • Collaboration as one solution

– The Student Mental Health Initiative

• Statewide resources • Cross-system collaboration • Management model

– Individual Campus Examples • UC Riverside • CSU Channel Islands


Defining the Problem • Counseling Centers nationwide report increasing numbers of

students seeking services (M. Kitzrow, 2003)

• The mental health of our college students is at risk and the demand for services is higher than ever (Kitzrow, 2003) – Diagnoses of these students indicate a heightened severity of problems and

an increasing use of medications for anxiety, mood disorders, and depression.

• Faculty, staff, and students have feared for their own safety when interacting with students in crisis in response to national tragedies (Columbine, VA Tech, Northern Illinois, etc.)


Reality

• Our students are suffering as their families struggle to pay rising tuition and the added stress only compounds the stressors of rigorous academic demands and adjustment to college life.

• Challenging economic times and drastic budget cuts have forced us all to do more with less!

• These realities contribute to an atmosphere where student affairs departments may want to cling on to their resources and fight to defend their utility on campus.


Questions:

1. Have you ever felt like you were competing for recourses with a service that is equally valuable? How did you/would you handle this?

2. Can collaboration help?

• “By creating a common language in which we can discuss differences, we can begin to examine some of the frightening paradoxes… which have paralyzed our youth and trapped us all in ‘parallel silos’ on campus” (Fried, 2000).


Defining Moment • 2000 – 2004

– Mental health increases as a priority for the UC as the demand for services increase and National tragedies occur.

• December 2004:

– Adam Ojakian, UC Student dies by suicide

• September 2005: – Victor and Mary Ojakian address the UC Board of Regents regarding

student suicide prevention and request UC to examine practices and policies related to student mental health;

• December 2005 – Then Acting Provost Hume appoints the Student Mental Health Oversight Committee.


The Student Mental Health Oversight Committee • The Committee reviewed relevant literature & best surveyed practices:

– Concluded that mental health trends visible nationally are negatively affecting all UC campuses

• UC students were presenting mental health issues with greater frequency and complexity

– Budget trends within the University limit the capacity of campuses to respond to mental health issues

– This increasing demand and declining capacity pose a threat to the learning environment

• Will have adverse impacts on faculty, staff, and students


Tier 1 Critical Mental

Health and Crisis Response Services

Tier 2 Targeted Interventions

Tier 3 Creating Healthy Learning Environments:

A Comprehensive Approach to Prevention

SMHC Recommendations: Creating Healthier Learning Communities: A Tiered Model for Improving Student Mental Health


A comprehensive institutional approach: Collaboration

A problem needing many solutions, this is one…

People collaborate when the job they face is too big, is too urgent, or requires too much knowledge for one person or group to do alone

(Martin & Murphy, 2000 ).

Arguably, the best models for collaboration exist when the collaboration efforts are more than one time, single-program initiatives on campus.

(Bourassa & Kruger, 2001).


Developing a Plan

• What Structures are in place: – SMHOC

– CAPS Directors

• Current funding opportunities – California Prop 63 Mental

Health Services Act • California Mental Health

Services Authority (CalMHSA)

What structures do you have in

place?

What funding opportunities are available to you?


CalMHSA SMHI Award

• UC proposed a system wide, two-phase initiative to address college student mental health issues (CAPS Directors in collaboration with the SMHOC & Office of the President)

– Phase I includes developing and enhancing campus programs and

services for peer-to-peer support, faculty/staff/student training, suicide prevention, and stigma and discrimination reduction.

– Phase II includes strengthening UC’s relationship with the CSU and CCC

systems by collaborating on projects that increase access to services to all students within the systems, and provide outreach and leverage resources statewide

• Our proposal was accepted and funded for three years!


Management Structure

• System Level Management – Award Director (dual

roles)

– Program Manager • Content expertise

• Manage collaborative programming

• campus liaison

– Project Manager • budget/invoicing

• Reporting

– Administrative support

Think outside the box, who could assume these roles in your institution?


Regional Collaborations

• Student Mental HealthPartners – UC campuses (10)

– CSU campuses (23)

– CCC campuses (112)

– K – 12 (2)

• County Partners – County department of

mental health

• Other CalMHSA/Prop 63 Partners – Stigma & discrimination

reduction

– Suicide prevention

Who could you partner with?


Accountability

• Accountability (local & state) – Quarterly Reports

– Program evaluation

• Plans for sustainability

• Challenges


UC Riverside’s collaboration story…


In partnership with the Counseling Center, The Well, International Education Center, Housing Services, Student Recreation Center, Campus

Health Center and AVC/Dean of Students Office, the Student Wellness Partners offer robust and collaborative campus-wide programming and

resources associated with student health and well-being.

Specifically, the Student Wellness Partners work to strengthen and expand wellness related peer

mentor & education programs and develop new programs and initiatives to address the wellness

needs of UC Riverside’s diverse student population.

SWP Mission Statement


UCR Student Wellness Partners

• The Well (Wellbeing, Empowerment Life and Learning)

-Student Affairs Peer Initiatives -Graduate Initiatives, -Health Education Initiatives -Community Service Initiatives -R.E.A.C.H., Golden ARCHEs, Well

Peers, Community Service Ambassadors, Fit Squad

• Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students

-Mental Health Initiatives -Diversity Initiatives -Active Minds • Housing Services • Student Affairs Communications • International Education Center - International Student Initiatives • Student Recreation Center • Campus Health Center -Preventative Care Advocates • Counseling Center - StressBusters


History of SWP Collaborations During 2006-2009 Healthy Campus Climate Work Group at UC Riverside set out to centralize, strengthen and expand services, resources and programming related to student health and well-being. An advisory board to guide programming, resource development and oversight for UC Riverside’s student wellness work was established.

The focus of investments were: 1. Clinical service improvements (Case Manager) 2. Campus-wide health and wellness program collaboration 3. Joint peer mentor trainings/program development (with a focus on

traditionally underrepresented students and graduate students) 4. Assessment of student needs related to health and wellness 5. Opening of The Well (Well-being, Empowerment, Life, and Learning)


Well-being, Empowerment, Life, Learning Highlander Union Building 248, (951) 827 WELL (well.ucr.edu)

UCR offers a variety of wellness-related programs that are designed to support holistic student health and well-being. The WELL is a coordinated center for UCR’s wellness programs. The WELL serves to create a safe, supportive, and connected campus environment through the promotion of healthy minds,

bodies and communities. The WELL provides accessible, robust resources and support for students in the areas of physical, social, emotional, cultural and

spiritual wellness through a network of peer educators, mentors and professionals


History of SWP Collaborations: CALMHSA

From 2012- SWP refocused collaborative efforts as a result of budget climate, system-wide grant expectations, and data available regarding student mental health needs. "Smarter" collaborations, data driven budget decisions, and feedback loops became the new reality.

The new focus of investments are: 1. SWP branding and resource awareness 2. Expansion of collaborative relationships to ensure health and well-being messaging

from recruitment-graduation 3. Analysis of quality and quantity of efforts 4. Continued assessment of student needs related to health and wellness

The CALMHSA grant allowed for the continuation of the momentum related to the marketing and messaging related to student health and well-being related resources. The CALMHSA grant additionally allowed for support of shared assessment efforts and peer education training growth and development.


Community Partners

• Riverside Community Health Foundation • Riverside Community College • City of Riverside Mental Health Services • Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center • Alternatives to Domestic Violence • Alcoholics Anonymous • UCR Recovery Community • Guardian Scholars Program


SWP Wellness Work Synergies

• Large-Scale Programming

• SH101

• Diversity Dialogues

• Wellness Wednesdays

• Lunchtime Learning

• UCR Go Program

• Online Tools and Messaging

• Student Wellness Speaker Series

• WOW

• Request a Program


•Online Health Assessments

•On and Off Campus Referrals

•Interactive Self Care Tools

•Electronic Resource Libraries

•Google Calendar of UCR Health and Wellness Events

•”Ask a Peer” Tool

•Community Service Project

Search/Reporting

•Request a Program Tool http://well.ucr.edu

http://well.ucr.edu/


Strengths and Challenges

• Defining Partnering

• Defining Operating Principles

• Continued SWP Relationship Building

• Logos

• Communication Channels

• Budget Environment and Funding Clarity

• Peer Connections

• Coalition Building with Non-SWP Offices

• Evolving Roles of 35 People


SWP Assessment

• SWP and Well mission statements • SWP Strategic Initiative related to assessment • Plan to assess progress in SWP strategic plan • Pilot nature of SWP/Well programs • Role of Well to pilot wellness assessment

processes • Well and the SWP EOQ report data reviews • Encouragement of all SWP office to assess

and share data


Review of Available Data

What:

•2010 ACHA

•2003-2011 CORE

•2010 STOUT

•2010 UCUES

•2010 CIRP

How: • IR consultation • SWP steering committee

assessment team discussion • SWP steering committee

discussions • SWP program team discussions • ATOD committee review • Wellness data points requested • Written data summaries


Individual Program Assessments What:

•Wellness Wednesday

•Lunchtime Learning

•Speaker Series

•Large SWP

•Graduate Wellness

•REACH/Golden ARCHES/Well Peers

•Community Service

In Progress:

•WOW

•Go

•SH101

•Request a Program

How: • Program lead/Assessment Intern

consultation • Presenter/program

lead/Assessment Intern Partner survey tool draft review

• Data sharing e-mail • Quarter/EOQ report • SWP program team survey tools

sharing and trainings • SWP steering committee

program assessment discussions


Step 4 – Summary Report


Sharing of Results

What:

• Wellness Wednesday

• Lunchtime Learning

• Speaker Series

• Large SWP

• Graduate Wellness

• REACH/Golden ARCHES/Well Peers

• Community Service

• SH101 Survey Results

• Secondary Data Available

• Relevant Data Collected by SWP Offices

How:

• Weekly e-mail Summaries

• Quarter Reports

• EOY Reports

• SWP Steering Committee Meetings

• Program Teams

• Peer Program Supervisors

• Graduate Student Wellness Meetings

• System-wide Reporting


CSU Channel Islands- CalMHSA Grant

The CSU system focused on prevention strategies addressing the mental health needs of students and advanced the collaboration between educational settings and county services. Three strategic directions were prioritized: 1) Faculty and staff training, 2) peer-to-peer support and 3) suicide prevention. At CI, over the next two years, outreach efforts will be administered to campus faculty, staff and students. Additionally programming efforts will focus on first generation students, veterans, students with disabilities, LBGTQ and international students.


CSU Centralized Projects • Electronic Database (SharePoint) • Social Marketing Campaign • Curriculum Development • SH 101 Focus on underserved communities and students with specific needs and will address cultural considerations regarding stigma attached to mental health issues – Veterans – Disabled Students – First-generation College Students


CI Award Focus

• Hired a part-time Health Educator

• Suicide Prevention Training for faculty and staff (Kognito)

• Health Education Resources-Student Health 101 on-line health education magazine

• Peer to Peer Training-Student Health 101


Discussion: What comes to mind when you think about collaborations regarding mental health work on a college campus? What threats and opportunities might be associated with collaborative mental health work on college campuses? How might we assess progress related to collaborative work?


Thank You! Taisha L Caldwell, PhD CalMHSA Student Mental Health Grant Program Manager University of California Office of the President Jennifer Miller, PhD Director, Student Affairs Assessment, Research and Staff Development CSU Channel Islands

collaborating to address student mental health & wellness...

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