NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University has added more mental health professionals to its staff, thanks to a grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation.
A recent study shows 1 in 3 college students has significant anxiety and depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Senior Lauren Kane told News 3 that being a student has its stressors.
"There’s nobody telling you don’t forget to eat, don’t forget to keep exercising keep moving and managing a new college coursework and figuring out that responsibility that’s a lot for any student,” said Kane.
Research from the Healthy Minds Network shows that more than 70% of Virginia has a shortage of mental health professionals, but at CNU, access to mental health help has expanded.
The grant has helped fund several new positions at the counseling center, which means more aid for students.
"To get the resources to support their overall growth is just instrumental to their overall well-being and success, personal and academic success is at the heart of what we are trying to do,” said counseling center director Bill Ritchey.
Ritchey said the additional clinicians will be able to see 30 students each per week, and the extra staffing means they'll extend hours. They're now open from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Thursday.
Dean of Students Kevin Hughes told News 3 the university has an open dialogue surrounding mental health. He said with the added positions, the ratio of mental health professionals to students will be 1 to 300, which Hughes said is the best of any university in the state.
"Our clinicians are busy and that’s a good thing,” said Hughes.
This unique pilot program will serve the dual purpose of expanding mental health services for students while simultaneously increasing the mental health workforce pipeline by offering supervised clinical hours for candidates seeking to become a LCSW or LPC.
“There’s a mental health need and there are more clinicians needed, and we get to help train those clinicians, after they’ve completed their hours served with our students, they can get their license and go help anyone in the state and that’s fantastic,” said Hughes.
The university has already added one new clinician with the grant money, with plans to add two more by the fall.
