Information: Student Mental Health
Did You Know?
Anxiety is the number one most commonly diagnosed mental health condition in the general public and among college students. About three quarters of college students report psychological stress that fall into the moderate to severe category ("Student mental health"). Psychiatric disabilities make up the largest population of DSS students served at SCC, and this population continues to grow at colleges across the nation.
In academic year 2021-2022, there were 127 total Early Alert student referrals citing areas of concern and/or recommendations for Mental Health services. In academic year 2022-2023 to date (through Fall 2022), there have been 63 total referrals, to date, citing Mental Health services as a student resource need. Note: these numbers do not reflect current Winter 2023 data surrounding Mental Health related referrals.
SCC's Disability Access Services surveyed students to find out: "What do you want teachers to know about students living with anxiety?" Here are some of the students' responses:
- “It's not a joke; we're not trying to game the system. We don't like to experience anxiety, and if we could, we'd make it go away. … A little patience and understanding and empathy and respect on your side can go a long way.”
- "To be patient, and see if there are different ways to test the if they have test anxiety."
- “[It] can get worse with each experience of it.”
- “It is unpredictable. Something that sounds easy can become impossible. That can be embarrassing.”
- “Try not to assume.”
Watch this 7 minute video, Facing Anxiety: Students share how they cope and how campuses can help,from The Chronicle of Higher Education. (If you are short on time, start at 4:02, "What professors may not know.")
SCC Mental Health Resources
- Mental health counseling is available to all SCC students for free through the Student Health Clinic. Services are provided by graduate-level interns from Gonzaga and Whitworth. They practice under the supervision of SCC Counselor Carmen Green. Currently, services are available either in-person in our Student Health Clinic or via telehealth. Students can schedule an intake appointment as well as review who our current providers by visiting the Counseling Center(1-B102), using the link,or contacting the Counseling Center at 509-533-8400.. Our counselors are also able to provide short-term mental health support and crisis intervention services. If you have a student in crisis, please help them connect with our SCC Counseling Center for immediate support.
- If you meet with a student experiencing a mental health crisis, direct them to the Counseling Center (building 1) or the mental health interns in the Student Health Clinic (in the Jenkins Wellness Center, building 7). If you are on campus, you might consider walking them to the locations to provide some extra support. Counselors can often see them first, evaluate them, and - depending on the situation - refer them to more resources.
- SEER (Supported Education and Employment Enhancing Rehabilitation) provides support that helps individuals facing behavioral health challenges prepare for, gain access to, and sustain participation in post-secondary education and vocational opportunities. SEER offers specially-focused courses each quarter and also provides group and some individual support. Students need not have an official diagnosis to participate. There is no cost to students to access the SEER program. For more information about SEER, contact Ronda Hain at ronda.hain@scc.spokane.edu.
- Additionally, all our students have free access to physical and mental health services through the Community Colleges of Spokane (CCS) Student Health Clinic. Encourage students to utilize the only on-campus college health clinic on the east side of the state right here at SCC. The Student Health Clinicis open 9:30 am – 2:00 pm, Monday-Friday throughout the academic year (Building 7, Room 118).
