How can faculty and staff discuss student mental health?

Faculty and staff are increasingly being asked to support students' mental health by addressing challenges such as stress, anxiety, and depression. In a January survey of faculty and staff, 76% said they believed supporting students' mental health was an expectation of their job.

Similarly, a University of Iowa study published in August found that staff and faculty at Iowa community colleges felt responsible for supporting students' mental health and wellness by modeling behaviors and referring them to campus resources. It was overwhelmingly clear that However, only a few employees were confident in their abilities.

The report says universities provide staff and faculty with resources and training to direct learners to the right place to address concerns, as well as messages and services that support their own well-being. need to invest in.

background: The University of Iowa established the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health within the College of Education in 2021 to assess mental health in Iowa's K-12 and higher education institutions. The Scanlan Center supports educators in Iowa, and Barry Schreier, the center's director of higher education programming, uses the metaphor of a shared pathway. The bottom line is that investing from the top down can be beneficial, as administrators' mental health affects faculty and staff, which in turn affects students. all parties.

the study: A spring 2023 survey conducted by the University of Iowa asked 1,135 faculty and staff at seven Iowa community colleges about their mental health and well-being and interactions with students. (The campus average response rate was just under 30%.)

• Some teachers are struggling. Among survey respondents, 30% had symptoms consistent with depression and 29% had symptoms consistent with clinically significant levels of anxiety, which is a national trend. Schreier said. Additionally, 15 percent reported moderate burnout and 30 percent reported high levels of burnout.
• The majority of respondents experience prosperity. The Scanlan Center study is the first to measure faculty excellence at scale, finding that 88 percent of faculty feel competent and capable, and 87 percent believe they are living a good life. I realized that I believe that I am a good human being. Similarly, respondents feel that they are actively contributing to the well-being and well-being of others (78%) and find social relationships to be supportive and rewarding (75%).

• Most staff talk to students about mental health. Most participants (97%) reported that modeling positive health and wellness behaviors to students is important. More than half of respondents had had a conversation with one to four of their students about mental health, and three-quarters had referred a student to mental health resources.
• Hesitancy comes from lack of preparation. When asked why they do not reach out to students who may be experiencing emotional or mental distress, faculty and staff believe that someone else is better suited to do so (23%) , said it was because they didn't want to make the student uncomfortable (22%), or they didn't know exactly what to say (21%).
• Training required. Mental Health Gatekeeper Training provides individuals with information such as risk factors and how to talk to people struggling with mental health conditions. A quarter of respondents said their institution did not offer mental health gatekeeper training for faculty and staff, and half said they did not know if it was available. Only 30% of respondents had attended a mental health gatekeeper training program.

Schreier said the center plans to repeat the survey this spring and collect annual data toward the end of each school year. The next survey will involve more universities in the state, with nearly a dozen institutions participating.

Recommendations: Overall, the survey showed a growing need for mental health support and visibility into the services available to students, faculty, and staff, Schreier said. Based on the findings, the University of Iowa researchers recommended the following improvements to his college community.

1. Create a resource guide. Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents said they would like a list of all mental health resources available to students through their institution. Institutional leaders can create a website, app, or paper guide to help personnel identify available support resources. Best practices for the guide might include the ability to search for desired services, who can access the resources, fees, and locations of service providers on and off campus. This helps ensure that help is accessible to all stakeholders on campus.
2. Invest in confidentiality and gatekeeper training. Some survey respondents (16%) were unsure about their role in maintaining confidentiality if a student expressed suicidal thoughts. Her 41 percent of survey respondents want suicide prevention training. Campus leaders should organize training on confidentiality related to FERPA and the Clery Act when students share mental health information. If a university chooses to create a gatekeeper training program, respondents said it should include information on how to help students overcome daily stressors (50%) and include participation as paid time. (49%) and the length should be 30 minutes or less (30%). percent), delivered online (26 percent). A quarter of respondents believe that training should also be required by educational institutions.
3. Establish a resource reference tree. Faculty and staff can benefit from decision trees that not only highlight available services, but also help introduce them to colleagues across campus. This helps improve access and results by streamlining the referral process.
4. Share information about prosperity. While many campuses encourage communication about mental health and well-being concerns and support, regular messages about faculty and staff thriving and flourishing can also benefit the campus community. “Most people don't message about it…It's not appealing to say we're doing well,” admits Schreier, but it's an important way to promote healthy living. information.
5. Prioritize the health of our faculty and staff. Nine percent of survey participants said their institutions did not provide counseling services for faculty and staff, and 15% said they had no access to welfare services. University leaders must address faculty mental health by providing organizational resources and services.
6. subdivide data. Although the Scanlan Center survey had minimal representation from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds and gender and sexual minorities (non-binary, transgender, multiple gender identities), the data found that women and minority identities were more likely to feel a greater responsibility to support students' mental well-being. Health status compared to the majority of colleagues.

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