How UC San Diego Quintupled Its Case Management Team to Meet Growing Student Mental Health Needs

Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation on college campuses are at an all-time high. More than 60% meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem -- a nearly 50% increase since 2013.College students are also seeking support at an unprecedented rate, openly discussing their struggles with professionals to formulate a game plan for improving their well-being and overall educational experience. Although student affairs offices are overwhelmed with the influx, many are working to find creative ways to properly support students seeking resources -- including the University of California San Diego's Student Affairs Case Management Services (SACM).SACM is the winner of the Clery Center's Campus Safety Impact Award, an inaugural award that recognizes higher education programs or initiatives that demonstrate innovation, collaboration, and equity in improving campus safety.Hear from SACM's director, Andrew Hua, about how the group has been able to quintuple its case management team in just three years, as well as the challenges that came with it and how they continue to evolve to meet students' needs.Hua also discusses:How the team has addressed spikes in student caseloads (06:04)How the team has created a path for students to become part of the staff (14:45Tips for garnering support from leadership for student well-being initiatives (16:43)SACM's signature training program, which has trained over 1,200 faculty, staff, and student leaders to recognize signs of distress (22:10)Notable statistics, including student testimonials, that highlight SACM's impact (24:26)Tips for schools overwhelmed with student needs' caseloads (27:36)CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campussafetymagazineTwitter: https://twitter.com/CampusSafetyMagInstagram: https://instagram.com/campussafetymagLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1836305/YouTube:  @Campussafetymagazine CAMPUS SAFETY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook: https://facebook.com/CampusSafetyMagazineX: https://x.com/CampusSafetyMagInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/CampusSafetyMagLinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1836305YouTube: @Campussafetymagazine