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Student Leaders Report
Mental Health
Mental Health at MIT has been a hot topic this past year. There have been many articles written – from national magazines to The Tech – addressing suicide and depression on our campus. The Mental Health Task Force, a group formed by the Office of the Chancellor, MIT Medical, and the Undergraduate Association, worked hard to develop suggestions on improving mental health care here. Chancellor Clay has already taken steps to increase evening hours of service in MIT Medical's Mental Health Department, to add more staff members to that department, and to increase the coordination among the different parts of the mental health "system" at MIT. These changes were proposed to make the system more robust and easier to move within. With this much talk and action, I wanted to take advantage of this article to address the role of faculty members in student mental health. This includes understanding MIT's resources, having access to information regarding these resources, and recognizing the signs that a student may be having difficulties.
Unfortunately, in the absence of immediate need, many at MIT remain ignorant of the wide array of resources. By the time there is a need, it may be too late to learn about what’s out there and how help can be found. It may seem to many as though knowing about Mental Health resources is not very important if you are not immediately in need of them. This is often how many students feel when they receive the MIT medical update mailed every semester. I'm sure that a high percentage of the updates make it into the recycle bin. But at some point, a student might need that information and might not know how to find it. Students, like faculty, might have heard about the different venues for mental health services available on campus, but remain unaware of what each actually does. Below is a handy reference to update you on Mental Health care options for both general knowledge and as a reference for when times might get rough (as I'm sure you will save this issue of the FNL as a great resource and it will never see the recycle bin).
1) MIT Medical (x3-2916): Provides professional medical services for Mental Health needs. Members of the MIT community can receive counseling, medications, and treatment for an array of mental health concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, etc. It is staffed mostly by M.D. Psychiatrists, licensed social workers, and Ph.D. Psychologists. A psychiatrist is on call every night, available to students during non-business hours. To find more, check out http://web.mit.edu/medical/service/menthlth.htm.
2) Counseling and Support Services (CSS) (x3-7293): The Counseling deans at CSS offer counseling services and coordination with the academic environment at MIT. They can write letters to professors recommending extensions for those who need some extra time and they coordinate leaves of absence for students who need them. This is the ideal service for students having difficulty integrating their academic life with life outside the classroom or lab. Counselors are available who specialize in women and minority issues as well as learning disabilities. More information is found at http://web.mit.edu/counsel/www.
3) Nightline (x3-8800): A student-run, anonymous hotline that provides peer listening and counseling between 7pm – 7am during the school year. Students and other members of the MIT community are also encouraged to call for random information like the number to Domino's Pizza or really anything (so they claim!), thus making it easier and more comfortable calling the service when more personal or serious reasons for calling arise.
4) MIT Medlinks: These are students living in the dorms or FSILGs who receive training and know about the resources available on campus and publicize them to living group residents.
5) Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, and Transgendered Specialists: Resources for those who have questions or issues surrounding their sexuality. The Residence Life and Student Life Programs Office runs one program. Information can be found at http://web.mit.edu/lbgt. GAMIT, a student-run organization, sponsors activities and meetings. Information can be found at http://web.mit.edu/gamit/www. In addition, both MIT Medical and CSS have staff who specialize in these issues.
6) Other
Venues (in no particular order):
Academic advisors and other faculty: Faculty often see students a number of times a week and can also access students' grades. Faculty are able to notice if a student's grades or attendance suddenly drops off – a potential warning sign.
With so many different options, it can be confusing where to go first. Sometimes students are apprehensive about seeking professional help in the first place. This is why the last option lists various people that students come into contact with on a daily basis. Often, students seek these people first when they are facing some type of difficulty. I have listed faculty under this category. Faculty play an important role in student mental health because they may be the only people who see some signs that a student is facing difficulties. Faculty, unlike other members of the community, are able to see if a student’s grades or academic performance suddenly shift. You may also receive information from CSS or an advisor that a student is experiencing additional difficulties beyond just your class.
When talking about Mental Health, remember that each student is an individual. No formula exists for determining if a student faces serious difficulties, but there are often a few signs. These indications range from social changes, which may be recognizable by friends or GRTs, or they may be academic, which faculty might see. Some students isolate themselves, others become generally unhappy, while still others cannot focus and let their grades slip or they stop going to classes. Note that some students are comfortable admitting when they are having problems while others try everything they can to hide it. There is no cookie cutter method for handling a situation when a student experiences difficulties. It can be difficult for a faculty member to distinguish between the fine line of being concerned and interfering; but I think that there are a few options that you can try to take if you think that one of your students is having problems.
1) Conversation: If you think you know the student pretty well, approach him or her after class and ask to chat. You might be able to provide an ear to express the problem to and they might feel comfortable talking with you. Remember, whether you feel comfortable in this role or not, most students look to faculty with respect and as role models. Sometimes a conversation is enough, but for those whom you think may need more help you could have information handy regarding the different services on campus.
2) E-mail: E-mail is a great non-confrontational tool. You could drop a student an e-mail offering to talk but noting that if they are not comfortable with that they could talk to CSS and use their resources. This makes you more available to the student, but still not prying into his or her life. If he or she wants to talk with you, you have made yourself available; if not, academic assistance is still available.
3) Academic Advisors: Advisors should be willing to check in with one of their advisees on your behalf. An academic advisor may have other information regarding a student's other classes or personal life. The advisor may have a closer relationship to the student and may feel comfortable seeing how the student is doing.
Students, like all others in the MIT community, can face difficult times while at the Institute. Some may be sparked by relationships with family or friends, others can be caused by academic difficulties, and there are those that are caused by some type of mental illness. Each of these can disrupt a student's life in various ways. We should remain cognizant that mental health problems affect many people on our campus, and sometimes it is proactive efforts by individuals that can make the difference in getting through a hard time.
As faculty, you serve a critical role in the mental health network. While it is easy to identify the many services offered in the residences or other activities, students may not be showing signs of difficulty in those venues. Some may not want their friends to know and others may not know how to react or how to proceed. It is important to realize that even if you don’t know a student very well, taking notice of him or her – a good thing even without a crisis – offering to help academically, or giving information about other resources on campus, might help make it easier for them to deal. That is a great return for the time it takes to ask "So, how are things going for you this term?"
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