It is at the end of every syllabus. It is put on flyers all around campus. It is usually the first suggestion when you are feeling down: CAPS. The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services. It seems easy, right? You are not doing great, you go to CAPS, and magically things get better.
Not quite.
The process of getting help is not always simple, the steps to get there potentially making things worse. Many students want to take advantage of this resource and improve their mental health, but end up facing more obstacles than they should have to. Living with a mental health disorder is not easy but getting help should be. Here is the story of my friend Liz. Liz was diagnosed with both anxiety and ADHD in high school but due to her medication, she never felt a need for extra time. Liz was surviving in school – attempting to balance her mental health issues with her school work – until the start of her sophomore year. Her timeline of events highlights the idea that “help” is often more of an idea than a reality.
September 5, 2018: Liz’s ADHD medication begins to stop working. Insomnia induced from medication worsens, as does anxiety from lack of focus. Academics are deeply affected.
October 31, 2018: Liz calls CAPS. The next available appointment is not until after Thanksgiving break (a.k.a. after November 25).
November 1, 2018, at 12:30 pm: Liz walks into CAPS herself to see an emergent on-call counselor. She waits 2 hours to be seen; they refer her to a nearby off-campus therapist and to the Dean of Students office for academic accommodations.
November 1, 2018, at 3:00 pm: Liz meets with a representative at the Dean of Students office who ensures her they will contact her professors.
November 5, 2018, at 9:00 am: Liz calls her psychiatrist at home for a phone-call meeting and never hears back. Her mother drives to the office and hands in a paper copy of the Disability Verification Form from SSD (Student Services for Disabilities).
November 5, 2018, at 12:00 pm: Liz has a follow up with Dean of Students office. The office refers Liz to a representative at the Office of Student Support and Accountability (OSSA) and the College of Engineering. The College of Engineering refers her to a nurse at UHS, the nearest appointment being after November 25.
November 6, 2018: Liz has an appointment with an OSSA representative, who gives her a copy of the Disability Verification Form from SSD and says her psychiatrist needs to fill it out before she can get a meeting with SSD.
November 7, 2018: Liz calls her psychiatrist again. No response.
November 7, 2018, at 1 pm: Liz has a UHS appointment with a general physician who prescribes more medications, writes a note verifying her medical condition, and refers her to a Psychiatrist at UHS. The next available appointment is a week away.
November 7, 2018, at 2:30 pm: Liz has a meeting with a professor who allows for a 1.5x time length accommodation on her exams, along with an extension on her homework.
November 8, 2018, at 11 am: Liz has a meeting with a different professor who says he is unable to offer any accommodations. She is referred to the course coordinator, who informs her that the UHS letter is insufficient verification of her disability – unfortunately, they could not provide accommodations.
November 12, 2018: Liz’s home psychiatrist calls back and says it will take at least 2-3 weeks to complete her Disability Verification form.
November 13, 2018: Liz has a meeting with an SSD representative who gives temporary accommodations. The representative refers her to an Academic Advisor, who refers Liz back to an OSSA representative. The OSSA representative says if Liz was to withdraw from a class, she would not be able to register for Winter 2019. The OSSA representative then referrs her to the Scholastic Standing Committee.
November 14, 2018: Liz emails her course coordinator again, who tells her she is still ineligible to receive academic accommodations. She emails her off-campus psychologist who calls her professor strongly recommending she receive accommodations based on Liz’s mental health condition.
November 15, 2018: Finally, Liz has adequate academic accommodations in all of her courses due to the confirmation from her psychologist.
Yes, Liz received help, but the process was long and difficult. From constant delays, to denials, to referrals, the process negatively affected her already deteriorating mental health. How does one focus on school when while not only battling a mental health disorder but also battling professors, doctors, and advisors who are supposed to help? Liz was referred to a different person nine separate times in two weeks. Luckily, Liz was persistent and was able to get what she needed. The issue is that not everyone can. This is not how the process of getting help should be.