Content warning: This post includes discussion of suicide.
When I hear the term emergency, I think of a freak accident or a natural disaster — any event that doesn’t happen every day. A car crash is an emergency, a pandemic is an emergency, and a hurricane is an emergency. Emergency relief funds are put into place to provide aid in times of need like the ones I just listed. But what about a mental health emergency? The Education Department is urging colleges to use American Rescue Plan funds, a total of $198 million, for mental health support.
This is putting mental health on the same level as a freak accident or natural disaster during an age when Gen Z is fighting for the normalization of mental health through open discussion and advocating for accessible resources. When I hear the assertion that mental health is an emergency, I hear that it’s not an everyday occurrence, that it’s not a reality for people day in and day out, and that it’s something that just happens to occur one day rather than something you live with.
I completely agree we need to allocate funds towards more mental health services, but we should not take away from emergency relief funds — mental health isn’t just an emergency or a rare occurrence, it’s an everyday reality. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, one in five U.S. adults has a mental illness. Also, in 2020, 24.3 million U.S. adults sought mental health services.
Establishing resources to accommodate all ends of the mental health spectrum starts with viewing the issue as normal.
Mental health issues for college students is a harsh reality due to the influx of stressors during those four years, such as finding a career path or juggling new responsibilities. In a 2020 Healthy Minds study, out of 32,754 students, 39% reported having depression, 34% reported having an anxiety disorder, and 13% thought about suicide that year. This number was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Best Colleges, 95% of college students have experienced some type of negative mental health symptom due to the pandemic. This just goes to show how prevalent poor mental health is among college students. But colleges shouldn’t have to go to such extreme lengths to get funding for mental health services.
Everyone has a mind — therefore, everyone has mental health and the need to take care of it. Mental health issues are so vast because mental health is a spectrum. The CDC defines mental health as your emotional, social, and physical well-being, which affects how you think, feel, and act. There are everyday mental health struggles, such as stress or exhaustion, and then there are more severe struggles like eating disorders and depression. Maintaining your well-being is just a part of life, like a routine we do subconsciously.
Establishing resources to accommodate all ends of the mental health spectrum starts with viewing the issue as normal, putting it on the same level as funding for education or athletics. According to an NBC News article, $2,340 of the average $23,000 tuition at James Madison University was used for the school’s sports teams unknowingly. If sports fees can be a part of tuition, so can mental health services, which is an issue that affects more than just athletes.
Mental health should have funds that are easily accessible on an everyday basis.
Mental health used to be a taboo topic. It wasn’t until celebrities started openly discussing it, social media became a place to share our struggles, and the stigma around therapy and other services lessened that conversations about mental health started to become normalized. A large part of the discussion around mental health being more open and destigmatized is colleges and government making it a normal part of everyday life, whether that be discussing it in the classroom or offering services on campus. So, when I hear colleges are using emergency relief funds for mental health, I can’t help but feel that this is counterproductive. Which one is it: Is improving mental health a normal part of the university experience like colleges are trying to make it, or is it an emergency?
The issue doesn’t lie with the funds being used because mental health does need more financial support. In fact, according to a 2020 study on the underinvestment of mental health, the World Health Organization stated in 2013 that around the world the average percentage of national health spending dedicated to mental well-being was only 0.5%. Though this number has increased to about 2% today, mental health is still an underfunded issue in health services. Instead, the issue lies with labeling mental health as an emergency and having to tap into funds that are reserved for times of need. This doesn’t mean that mental health isn’t a need that should be addressed, but rather a need that shouldn’t have to rely on a backup rescue plan. It should have funds that are easily accessible on an everyday basis.
I will say, though, it’s a relief to see that the government is attempting to curb the increasing numbers of mental health by investing in programs aimed to bring providers into behavioral health, pushing insurance companies to improve their coverage of behavioral health services, and training new mental health professionals. I just wish it didn’t take this long for society to see how prevalent mental health struggles are and that we didn’t have to resort to emergency relief funds to combat them.
Mental illnesses aren’t freak accidents; they are the reality for many Americans.
The Education Department wants colleges to use the rescue plan to strengthen mental health resources, such as increasing Telehealth options and in-person professionals, connecting students to care through suicide prevention programs and hotlines, and creating long-lasting support. The plan does allocate funds for mental health emergencies, such as suicides, but prevention and access to resources should be readily available every day. Students should have access to hotlines, professionals, programs, and support whenever they need because there is no timeline for mental health — it’s always changing and unique for each person.
Tapping into emergency relief funds for mental health takes those funds away from actual emergencies. Colleges could be using those funds for the students that lost education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or for housing that might be destroyed by a weather event. When we start viewing taking care of your mental health to be as important as everyday self-care, such as brushing your teeth or taking a shower, that is when the stigma will decrease, services will become more accessible, and mental illness will be more quickly and fully addressed because funding and resources will already be available. Mental illnesses aren’t freak accidents; they are the reality for many Americans. Emergency relief funds indicate only allocating money in times of need, but there is a need for mental health care every day.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264). For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357). In an emergency, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or call 911.