Stanford enhances its focus on mental health

Stanford News


March 3, 2017Stanford enhances its focus on mental health As part of Wellness Week, three campus health professionals describe ways the university is enhancing its responsiveness and expanding its outreach to ensure people in distress get the help they need.





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Mental health is a continuing priority at Stanford and many of its peer institutions. Three university health professionals describe how Stanford responds to people in distress and how the university is enhancing its services for those with urgent needs.
Jim Jacobs is executive director of Vaden Health Center.
Rosan Gomperts is director of the Faculty Staff Help Center.
Doug Noordsy  is associate chair for clinical integration and coordination in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Access to mental health services on college campuses has become a subject of concern nationwide. Some students at Stanford believe the university is not doing enough in this area. What is the status of mental health services at Stanford?
Jacobs: This is an area where there will always be more we can do to support our students, and the needs are indeed increasing, ranging from substance issues to the everyday stresses of university life. Stanford students do have broad access to licensed mental health staff through the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) program, on the second floor of Vaden Health Center. In the fall we will also initiate some new services in the renovated Kingscote Gardens building. We also have a team of confidential counselors specifically to assist victims of sexual violence. We are also fortunate to leverage relationships with Stanford’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and with many mental health professionals in the greater Palo Alto area to expand care options for students.
Gomperts: Faculty, staff and postdocs all have access to the Faculty Staff Help Center, which provides counseling and consultation services. The FSHC is available by appointment ...


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