Student Mental Health Crisis - why?

Our DMAX educational event on April 20, Student Mental Health Crisis:  Learn, Survive, Prevail will address the reasons behind the ongoing and worsening college student mental health crisis, and provide solutions to help college students thrive in the face of it.  Our keynote speaker, Dr. David Reetz is Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Rochester Institute of Technology, a Past-President of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors and a national speaker and consultant on building college communities that support well-being. Our guest speaker, Dr. Micky Sharma is Director of the Counseling and Consultation Service at The Ohio State University, and is also a Past-President of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was already a mental health crisis on college campuses with a steady increase in the number of college students with severe psychological problems, and college Counseling Centers could not keep up with the demand for mental health support.  In December, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an Advisory highlighting the urgency to address the nation’s youth mental health crisis, stating, “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 — and rates have increased over the past decade.” According to Dr. Murthy, the pandemic has been devastating to their mental health, creating an even more serious crisis.