New petition pushes for better mental health services
In just two days, the petition launched by MSU students collected over 1,000 signatures
The tragic news of an MSU student’s death last week left the Spartan community shocked and saddened. But when positive change can be made, grieving is not enough. A growing number of Spartans are joining the fight to prevent another loss on campus by improving resources for struggling students who are in need of help.
According to the Coalition for Higher Mental Health Standards, a newly-formed student group on campus, the recent passing of a fellow student should urge Michigan State’s administration to move quickly in passing a proposal that would allow better access to mental health services for MSU students.
MSU currently has some of the worst mental health resources in the country, and the worst student-to-counselor ratio in the Big Ten. According to a study done by Melissa Rex, the ratio of MSU counselors on staff to students in 2014 was 1 : 3,769. Even worse was the ratio of psychiatrists on staff to students — 1 : 16,333.
Because of this lack of staffing, students at Michigan State are frequently placed on a long waiting list when they reach out for counseling services. This may cause inconvenience and additional stress for many who are already struggling. In addition, those who do eventually see a counselor may not necessarily be receiving the best care as a result of a lack of funding.
The MSU Counseling Center was implemented to help students suffering from a variety of issues, but has failed to provide quality service for many of them.
This being said, it is clear that our university’s accommodations for mental health care are vastly unequipped to handle the large proportion of our student population of 50,000 who seek help or will seek help eventually.
As our student population grows, our access to mental health services should not shrink. Clearly, something needs to change.
The Coalition for Higher Mental Health Standards was formed over the weekend by MSU sophomore Aaron Stephens, who held the group’s first meeting Sunday. Those who have also been instrumental in organizing the group include MSU junior Bryn Williams, who helped by gathering resources for the group, along with other members who have been directly involved with the planning.
The group’s ultimate goal is to gain enough awareness, support and signatures to get the attention of the university by providing tangible evidence that a.) there is a great need for quality mental health resources on campus, and b.) MSU students prioritize easy access them. This would prove that the university needs to prioritize this as well, and should start remedying the situation as soon as possible by passing the ASMSU proposal.
By erasing the stigma surrounding mental health, setting aside more money to help students with their problems, and show that Michigan State University takes mental health care seriously, a better outcome can be achieved for countless Spartans in need.
The petition is open to all MSU students, faculty, and alumni.
Sign and spread the word! #NextStepNow
Graphic by Katie Marrison
Follow @NextStep_Now on Twitter for further updates and information.