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Attitudes, Perceptions, and Utilization of MentalHealth Services Among UAlbany Students:Recommendations for Strengthening CampusPrograms, Services, and ResourcesNYS Suicide Prevention ConferenceSeptember 19, 2019, Albany, NYGiana Calabrese, MPHab Brett Harris, DrPHabaUniversity at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY,bSuicide Prevention Center of New York, Albany, NY
2Introduction Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students1 In March 2019, a NYS legislative mandate went into effect to addressdepression and suicide on college and university campuses To address the mandate, the Suicide Prevention Center of New York(SPCNY) partnered with the State University of New York (SUNY)System UAlbany (UA) was identified for preliminary data collection based on theresults of a 2018 student health survey
3NYS Approach to Suicide Prevention1.2.3.4.Create suicide safer healthsystemsCreate and strengthen suicidesafer communitiesCreate suicide safer school andyouth initiativesSurveillance and data-informedsuicide prevention
4Suicide Safer Colleges and UniversitiesLegislation A3210A – Office of Mental Health (OMH) to provide information ondepression and suicide prevention to educators affiliated with any New York Stateuniversity, community college, or city university. Signed by Governor Cuomo 12/28/18 and must comply by 3/28/19 Activities include– Dedicated pages on new NYS Suicide Prevention website– College/University Suicide Prevention Symposium– Promoting Crisis Text on college campuses– Suicide prevention course for public health graduate students– SUNY system and statewide mental health needs assessment Informed by University at Albany student focus groups
5Partnerships SUNY System Administration UAlbany Counseling Center University at Albany School ofPublic Health
6Objectives1. Understand UA students’ mental health seeking behaviors and theirawareness and expectations of available programs/services oncampus2. Identify factors that make students more or less likely to utilize mentalhealth services offered by UA3. Provide recommendations to UA for strengthening mental healthservices4. Inform the development of a statewide college and university mentalhealth needs assessment
7UAlbany Student Focus Groups- Methods Two focus groups were held with UA undergraduatestudents, one with public health graduate students in April2019 Students 18 were recruited via student listserv and courseannouncements 17 total participants Focus group sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed IRB approval was received by the Nathan Kline Institute
8Results All focus groupparticipants recognizedthe importance ofprioritizing mental healthas college students
9Results
10Results
11Strengths Qualitative data collectionallowed for a detailed, expansivediscussion of studentexperiences The study identified tangiblerecommendations that may beimplemented by pre-developedpartnershipsLimitations Small sample size Not generalizable to thewider university or NYS as awhole Participants were self-selected Some participants may havebeen less responsive to focusgroup questions consideringstigma around suicide
12Recommendations1. Promoting the National Suicide PreventionLifeline, Crisis Text Line, and universitycounseling services on campuses and incourse syllabi, first-year seminars, andorientations2. Introducing counseling drop in hours onUA satellite campuses3. Training faculty, staff, and residence hallpersonnel in suicide prevention
13Mental Health Round Table Discussion April 18th, 2019- University at Albany School of Public Health (SPH) Who attended? UAlbany faculty, staff, and administratorsPurpose: To learn more about how mental health play a role in the lives of SPH studentsand faculty What stressors do faculty/staff see in students Comfort level dealing with students with mental health issues Faculty/staff’s awareness of UAlbany mental health programs To brainstorm ideas for implementing student and faculty recommendations
14What’s next? 3-4 more UAlbany focus groups (LGBTQ and student athletes) Mental health resources posted in UAlbany School of Public Healthcourse syllabi Counseling drop-in hours at the School of Public Health Trainings A larger state-wide study to inform suicide prevention activities andpolicies across NYS and the SUNY System
15References1.Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Leading Causes of Death Reports,1981-2017 (WISQARS).; e.html. Accessed April 21, 2019.2.University at Albany Center for Behavioral Health Promotion & Applied Research.AOD Use and Mental Health Concerns at UAlbany. 2018.
16Contact UsBrett Harris, DrPH, Director of Public Health Initiatives,NYS OMH and SPCNYBrett.Harris@omh.ny.govGiana Calabrese, MPHGmcalabrese3@gmail.comNew SPC Website:https://www.preventsuicideny.org/
Health Services Among UAlbany Students: . Programs, Services, and Resources Giana Calabrese, MPHab Brett Harris, DrPHab aUniversity at Albany School of Public Health, Albany, NY, bSuicide Prevention Center of New York, Albany, NY. 2 Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among college students1
