In recent years there has been heightened attention paid to the mental health needs of college students, the range and scope of these issues, and the challenges related to the provision of mental health services. Mental health generally refers to students’ psychological and emotional well-being and the conditions that affect their state of health, happiness, and security. Counseling center data, changing legal mandates, and anecdotal reports from senior practitioners all point to the growing complexity of managing these issues (e.g., Center for Collegiate Mental Health, 2016; Office of Civil Rights, 2010). Attend any meeting of senior student affairs officers and you are sure to hear discussion about how colleagues are handling such issues as managing students with inappropriate social behavior, challenges with special student populations, worries about suicidal or (potentially more worrisome) homicidal students, and simply keeping pace with rising needs in the face of limited resources. Barriers to effectively addressing student mental health issues may include a siloed approach that suggests these issues are the sole responsibility of the campus counseling professionals or a lack of knowledge about how licensed counselors and psychologist might effectively intervene in these situations. One of the goals of this volume is to suggest that student mental health is everyone's business—it certainly affects us all. Therefore, it is to both university student and employee benefit that campus administrators gain knowledge and skills that can directly and effectively address mental health issues on campus.

Throughout this volume we use the term “mental health” to speak in the broadest sense about students’ psychological and emotional well-being. In many of the chapters, the authors distinguish “mental health issues” (situations that may reflect some disruption in students’ optimal functioning) from “mental illness” or “disorders.” The latter terms are used in those specific situations in which an individuals’ functioning is sufficiently impaired as to constitute a condition in which some form of treatment or intervention may be appropriate.

Although a number of existing publications provide either skills focus for counselors-in-training or guidance for licensed counselors and psychologists working with college students, there are fewer resources for student affairs administrators interested in mental health issues. Reynolds’ (2008) Helping College Students is primarily a textbook for graduate students in higher education/student affairs, with a focus on teaching about helping skills. Kadison and DiGeronimo's (2005) College of the Overwhelmed provides an overview of the types of mental health issues students experience and ways in which colleges might meet their needs; however, Overwhelmed focuses on the provision of clinical services, and its primary target audience was students and their families. A 2006 NASPA publication, College Student Mental Health (Benton & Benton, 2006), had an intended audience of practitioners and addressed how programs and services across student affairs could support student mental health needs. These last two volumes, however, are each 10 or more years old. Since their publication, there have been significant changes in the legal landscape, prevalence of certain disorders and conditions, and campus approaches to service provision.

This volume is intended to examine mental health issues for the benefit of practitioners who are not trained and licensed counselors or psychologists—addressing how campuses can be prepared for and respond to these issues. Although some of the chapters address mental illnesses (i.e., specific diagnosed or diagnosable disorders), the broader focus is mental health writ large. For example, several chapters address the adjustment concerns that are commonly faced by some populations of students (such as international or military-connected students) or as the result of situational factors (such as campus crises). In developing this volume, we sought input from senior student affairs professionals about what mental health issues were most concerning or challenging on their campuses. Certainly, there are many issues and populations of students that are not covered within this book. As our society and campuses continuously evolve, there will be endless opportunities for colleagues to follow us in delving into new issues and approaches to addressing and fostering student mental health.

Our goal is to provide a resource for student affairs administrators who are seeking information and guidance on practices regarding emerging issues and challenges related to student mental health. We hope that this book helps readers cultivate a community-centered understanding of and sense of shared responsibility for promoting mental health, supporting those with mental disorders, increasing knowledge about best practices for service provision, and generating strategies for dealing with mental health issues pertaining to specific student populations and issues.

We have organized this book into three sections, reflecting some of the complexities and differences in content knowledge necessary to properly address mental health issues on campus. The first two chapters provide contextual and foundational information related to current student mental health trends. Chapter 1, by Susan Stock and Heidi Levine, opens the book by providing a layperson's overview of some of the more common mental health issues facing students, as well as strategies for effective intervention. In Chapter 2, Ben Locke, Jon Brunner, and David Wallace present overviews of counseling center data regarding student clients and clinical trends, as well as a review of evidence-based practices in the provision of counseling services.

The second section of chapters focus on populations of special interest. We recognize that many groups of students could warrant their own chapters regarding mental health needs, and in this volume, we have chosen three such groups that have received recent attention. In Chapter 3, Jane Thierfeld Brown, Lisa Meeks, and Michelle Rigler offer a primer on students on the autism spectrum, providing information on students with and without mental health challenges, as well as campus support strategies. Following in Chapter 4, Ted C. Bonar discusses the specific mental health needs of veterans and other military-affiliated students. Last in this section, Chapter 5, by Susan Prieto-Welch, explores the needs and challenges of and for international students.

The third section is composed of chapters that address bigger picture, systemic issues related to mental health faced by colleges and universities. Chapter 6, written by Alan Goodwin, focuses on students “at risk” threats toward self or others and the multiple legal, ethical, and cultural considerations that must be addressed within the campus environment. In Chapter 7, Micky Sharma and Christopher Flynn delineate goals, plans, and intervention strategies related to large-scale campus crises. Daniel Eisenberg, Sarah Ketchen Lipson, and Julie Posselt write about the connections between resilience, retention, and mental health in Chapter 8.

Our volume ends with a chapter by Robert Bonfiglio, long-time senior student affairs officer and leader in student affairs. Bob addresses the future of mental health on campuses by addressing two major forces on campus, which are at times in conflict: working from an ethic of care while attending to tenets of risk management.

We have both had the privilege to work, over the past 30 years, with many gifted colleagues in counseling centers and divisions of student affairs. Our knowledge of the issues presented in this volume is informed by their experience and wisdom. We hope that this book provides readers with some tools they will find useful in meeting the challenges presented by the changing face of student mental health needs and the campus environment.

References

1. Benton, S. A., & Benton, S. L. (Eds.). (2006). College student mental health. Washington, DC: NASPA.
2. Center for Collegiate Mental Health. (2016, January). 2015 annual report (Publication No. STA 15–108). University Park, PA: Author.
3. Kadison, R., & DiGeronimo, T. F. (2005). College of the overwhelmed: The campus mental health crisis and what to do about it. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
4. Office of Civil Rights. (2010, December 16). Complaint No. 15-10-2098. [Letter to Spring Arbor University]. Cleveland, OH: U. S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Retrieved from http://www.bazelon.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=WGmoOxFqnto%3D&tabid=313
5. Reynolds, A. L. (2008). Helping college students: Developing essential support skills for student affairs practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.