7/20/07-For the past two years, State of Mine, a youth-oriented, non-profit behavioral advocacy organization based in New Mexico, has directed a mental health awareness campaign for institutions of higher education. Faculty forums, created in collaboration with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, and Parents for Behaviorally Different Children Advocacy Organization, were designed as a “crash course” in helping educators assist students with mental illnesses —a topic that is rarely discussed at colleges and universities, and for which almost no training or dialogue is offered. The faculty forums, held once every semester, were extremely successful, as demonstrated by the 45 individuals who attended the first one-hour forum. Presenters have included college students living with a mental illness, staff members from the special services department, trainers in psycho-social rehabilitation and recovery principles, and legal counsel on disability-rights law. In addition, awareness workshops were conducted to help individuals understand what it is like to live with a mental illness.
Improving Mental Health in Higher Education
the problem:
Using funds provided through the GameStop Grants and other community partners, State of Mine, a youth run non profit organization dedicated to decreasing stigma and increasing awareness surrounding mental health in the community, will hold a series of focus groups with college and university students in the Washington Metro area. These focus groups will specifically be with students from various areas in the campuses with the objective of finding out the students perspective on mental health services on the campus, the students perspective on the amount of stigma on a university campus, and what can be done about it from a students point of view. The results of the focus groups will direct the further projects for State of Mine.
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Comments
We are also trying to break some of the stigma attached to mental health issues. This is definitely an area that higher ed. needs to pay attention to - good luck!