ACHA to Host "Crisis on Campus" Mental Health Symposium to Address Rising Demand of Mental Health Services

HANOVER, Md., Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College Health Association will host its inaugural symposium, "Crisis on Campus: Addressing the Rising Mental Health Demands of our Nation's Students" on November 13, 2017, at George Washington University in Washington, DC, bringing together university leaders, mental health providers, public policy leaders, and students to begin a national dialogue on developing an actionable blueprint for addressing the mental health crisis on campus.

Increasing numbers of students are seeking mental health services, but due to budget limitations, staff shortages, and other factors, demand is outstripping our nation's universities' capabilities to deliver the care they need. The result can often be long wait times or in some cases, unavailability of services. Continued tragic events on campus only serve to reinforce the need for expanded services. As a nation, it is crucial that we come together to help raise the awareness of mental health on college campuses and work together to identify and promulgate best practices and techniques that can be used to help meet the rising demand for mental health services, while at the same time, build a culture of early intervention and prevention.

The symposium features panelists and speakers from a cross-section of higher education and mental health organizations, including college and university presidents, mental health providers, and representatives from innovative programs designed to enhance student mental health and wellness.

"By bringing together students, health professionals, and campus leadership at this symposium, we hope to build awareness, drive public policy, and identify innovative solutions to these serious problems," says ACHA President Michael Huey, MD, FACHA, Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of Student Health Services at Emory University. "Our ultimate goal is to ensure the mental health and wellness of our nation's college students and enable their success on campus and beyond."

ACHA is pleased to collaborate with the following leading mental health and higher education organizations on this event:

ACPA—College Student Educators International
Active Minds
American College Health Foundation
American Council on Education
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors
Center for Collegiate Mental Health
The George Washington University
Healthy Minds Network
The Jed Foundation
Mental Health America 
Mid-Atlantic College Health Association
NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation

A live stream of the symposium and the full agenda are available here.

About ACHA 
The American College Health Association (ACHA), founded in 1920, is a national nonprofit association serving as the nation's principal leadership organization for advancing the health of college students and campus communities through advocacy, education, and research. ACHA represents a diverse membership that provides and supports the delivery of health care, prevention, and wellness services for the nation's 20 million college students. ACHA advocates for student health by integrating the critical role of college health into the mission of higher education. For more information about the association visit www.acha.org.

Contact:
Rachel Mack
443-270-4560
[email protected]

SOURCE American College Health Association