Addressing College Mental Health With Compassion And Common Sense

Written by Julie Wolfson and Anna Guimaraes, Co-Directors, Fountain House’s College Re-Entry program

In discussions about college mental health, the focus has almost always been on what resources schools are providing on campus and how those can and should be expanded. Are there enough therapists? Peer counselors? Training for RAs?

These are all fair and urgent concerns, especially as rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide soar among teens and young adults. But if colleges are serious about their commitment to mental health, they must also start addressing a barrier to care that’s easily overlooked: their leave of absence policies, which have long stigmatized mental illness and too often penalize students who are forthright about their conditions.

Across the country, roughly 14% of students cited mental health as the primary reason they had to withdraw from their studies, while nearly a third said it was a contributing factor to why they didn’t finish their degrees. The consequences of this are far-reaching: Students who drop out of college are more likely to face unemployment, earn less over their lifetimes than their peers, and are three times more likely to default on student loans. They’re also cut off from their primary community, their friends, and peers.

The ‘chilling effect’ leave policies can have on mental health

If and when students are ready to return to campus, their reinstatement process should be straightforward, accessible, and most importantly, encouraged.

Unfortunately, the re-entry process often proves to be anything but. Not only are leave of absence policies different at every institution, but they can vary within a single institution based on the reason for the leave and even the student’s course of study. Leaves are also not always voluntary, sometimes escalating to involve campus police or local law enforcement to remove students against their will. Imagine the chilling effect this can have on someone who needs mental health care but knows that reaching out for help could lead to forced leave. The cascading consequences can indeed be dire, if not deadly, and perpetuate a culture that further criminalizes mental illness.

Even when a leave of absence is wanted, complications can arise. Those who rely on their colleges for health insurance, counseling, and campus housing can suddenly lose access to these resources when they need them the most. Leave policies and practices are not always clear, including the frequently unforeseen financial and academic consequences. Some colleges also impose strict, if not daunting, readmission requirements — mandating that students complete rigorous coursework and “remain constructively occupied,” even though they had left college precisely to have the time and energy to focus on their recovery.

Setting students up for success

As licensed social workers and co-directors of Fountain House’s College Re-Entry program, we work directly with young adults who have put a pause on their studies due to mental health challenges, and we have seen firsthand how bureaucratic and inconsiderate these policies can be.

In a society that heralds college as an indisputable part of the American Dream — a right of passage that is supposed to encapsulate our future prospects and worth — it can be incredibly isolating to take a leave of absence. We need to set students up for success, both in their recovery and in achieving their academic goals.

No one should be penalized for having a mental health challenge. And there are compassionate and common sense steps that schools can immediately take to ensure students are better supported as they navigate their academic and mental health journeys.

First, colleges should make room for mental health accommodations, both for current and returning students, that permit part-time course loads, early registration to better align classes with medication schedules, and virtual attendance as needed, among other measures, so that students don’t feel like leaving is their only option. For those who do need to withdraw, schools should set up individualized leave planning to determine the best course of action with regular touchpoints during the leave so students don’t fall through the cracks. These individualized plans should allow room for flexibility around when a student may return, so that students don’t risk losing their place at school when they have identified that they need more time to prepare for a successful return.

Colleges and universities should also establish a “one-stop shop” for students seeking a leave of absence, whether for mental illness or otherwise, that allows students to easily explore their options free from pressure or judgment. Leave of absence policies related to mental health should be no more punitive or restrictive than they would be for physical health, and should specify the steps required for leave and return, including potential academic and/or financial considerations. Further, retroactive withdrawals from classes should be made available to students whose previous academic difficulties are attributable to their mental health issues.

Ultimately, these policies greatly impact how students view mental health, both on campus and in the years to come, and set the tone for how mental health will be treated at every other level of the institution. Colleges have a responsibility to promote and prioritize a holistic culture that not only keeps students safe but ensures they feel no more shame seeking treatment for mental illness than they would for a broken bone.

We need to start treating students with mental health challenges as more than burdens and liabilities. For colleges to wait until the next lawsuit or tragedy to take action would be a shameful and unacceptable mistake.

If you or someone you know is in need of mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.