A mental health services student focus group was held at Point Park University in collaboration with JED Campus in order to assess the university’s mental health service offerings.

The student-based focus group was held in Lawrence Hall on Feb. 6. The study aimed at reviewing the services offered, and with assistance from JED campus, improving the needs that surfaced from the results.

“Point Park has involved itself in a four-year study with JED Campus to evaluate the overall services we are providing students for mental health initiatives and suicide prevention,” Dean of Student Life Michael Gieseke said. “Part of that study is a self-evaluation and a campus visit, and one aspect of the campus visit is with a student group, to get their perspectives.”

JED Campus, a program of the Jed Foundation, aims to improve the quality of mental health services offered on college campuses through extensive collaborative systems. Through a four-year program, JED works to enhance the services at the establishment they collaborate with, all while creating a positive, systematic change to the campus community.

The study was not open to the media, and no Point Park University administrators were present throughout the duration of the study.

“No Point Park University administrator was in the room, by design,” Gieseke said.

With this recent addition of the four-year program offered by JED, more studies and changes are expected.

“I’m excited about the JED Campus Program,” Kurt Kumler, the Director of the University Counseling Center

Some students believe the mental health services offered here at Point Park University are in need of adjustment.

Madi Kaiser, a freshman behavioral sciences major, said that she thinks the services offered could benefit from improvement.

“I went in October, and was able to see someone, and then they put me on a waiting list,” Kaiser said. “There are a lot of students at Point Park University, but this is ridiculous. They gave me a list of psychologists I could see, but none were within walking distance. The nearest one was in Oakland. I have not heard a single word or check-in from them since I met with them last.”

According to the Mental Health Guide for College Students from CollegeStats, mental health issues are becoming more common in college students. The guide states that 80 percent of students feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities and 50 percent of students rated their mental health as below average or poor.

The CollegeStats guide mentions popular topics including depression, anxiety, suicide, eating disorders and addiction, a number of which are mentioned on the university’s website on the “Common Reasons to Visit University Counseling Center” page.

CollegeStats Mental Health Guide for College Students also reports that:

• 40 percent of students fail to seek help
• 50 percent have struggled greatly from anxiety and as a result have struggled in school
• 30 percent of students reported that they had problems with school work due to a mental health issue
• 7 percent of parents reported that their students suffer from mental health issues in college
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death among college students, second leading cause of death among people ages 25-34
• 9 percent of students report stress as an impact on their academic success
  • 7 percent anxiety
  • 4 percent sleep difficulties

Ulifeline.org lists this contact information for people in need of help:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline

1-800-273-TALK

• The Trevor Lifeline (Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ Youth)

866-4-U-TREVOR

• National Sexual Assault Hotline

1-800-656-HOPE

• National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

1-866-331-9474

• Crisis Text Line

Text START to 741-741