Counseling and Wellness Services | Photo by Jessica Fugett | The Wright State Guardian
Wright State University’s (WSU) Counseling and Wellness Services (CWS) campus survey in 2021 reported that 43% of the 966 surveyed students indicated they did not believe that the university was concerned for their health and well-being.
Yet, 99% of clients would recommend CWS to other students. CWS is reviewing proposals to better address the student need in 2022.
Impact
In November of 2021, CWS asked 8,489 WSU students to complete a 15-item true/false questionnaire. 966 students responded to the survey.
The CWS team is making a positive impact in the lives of students according to the 2021 survey. Ninety-four percent of clients report that the services they received met their needs. Clients reported the following outcomes from therapy: they are better able to express themselves (87%), relate to others (92%), and better make decisions and solve problems (97%).
Associate director for clinical training, Daniela Linnebach Burnworth, says that it is important for students to remember that there is always a support system for them at WSU.
“I hear from lots of students that their college experience has been significantly different from what they expected, leading often to feelings of disappointment and frustration.”
—Daniela Burnworth
The general campus 2021 survey revealed that 43% of respondents indicated they do not believe that the university is concerned for their health and well-being.
“[Students] need to know they have people who care about them at CWS and SAW-C (Student Advocacy and Wellness Center). It would help students to feel less isolated and for us to provide access to resources that can improve students' emotional, mental, and social well-being,” Burnworth continued.
According to the recent CWS survey, a majority of WSU students indicated that their mental health struggles interfere with their general academic success (71%) as well as their ability to attend their classes (59%).
“We are working to provide services to clients as quickly as possible with the current staff and we have been asked to provide proposals to better address the student need. Those proposals should be reviewed later this semester,” director of CWS Robert A. Rando said, “We continue to provide individual, couples, or group therapy and we provide crisis intervention services.”
CWS declined to comment on potential staffing shortages and said they are not currently hiring.
Mental health crisis
On Dec. 7, 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a Surgeon General’s Advisory to stress the rising issue of the nation’s youth mental health crisis.
“Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression and thoughts of suicide,” Murthy said in the advisory.
CWS reports in the survey that only 15% of clients reported that their reason for seeking services was related to the COVID-19 pandemic. CWS psychologist Jessica Moss cautions that the normal stressors for students continue on despite the changes brought on by the pandemic.
“I am glad that we've been able to adjust as needed to continue to provide our services via telehealth and in-person during the pandemic,” Moss said.
Services
CWS is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while its Raider Cares/Crisis Text Line is available 24/7 at 937-775-4567. CWS is available to any student who elects to pay the overall $20 fee on their semester dues. Otherwise, the cost is $20 per session.
CWS is located at 053 Student Union, between Student Health Services and the Raider Food Pantry.
