| The needs and demands of students entering higher education are changing. With respect to mental health issues, in the past decade, the culture of the United States has undergone a metamorphosis in many ways. In particular to higher education, the impact of societal changes on how mental health is viewed, how Americans confront mental illness, and our acceptance of counseling, diagnoses, and the use and proliferation of psychotropic medications has created a society with an increased familiarity of mental health and produced new demands and expectations for how colleges and universities care for the emotional health of our enrolled young adults. This research addresses how the increase in students, familiar with therapy and in need of (or demanding) more comprehensive and long-term counseling services, affects the provision of psychological treatment at the University of Pennsylvania. Specifically, this investigation focuses on the institutional impact of a changing student body.; The research questions explored in this study are: Has the University of Pennsylvania experienced a true change in mental health needs of recent student populations, and, if this proves to be the case, what is impact of these needs on the institution in terms of strategic planning, resource allocation, and potential legal liabilities. The research questions are investigated and analyzed through counseling service data, stakeholder interviews, and document examination. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, and process and outcome data, the study concludes that although there has been a significant increase in the severity of psychological problems among students seeking help at the counseling center, the University as a whole has not engaged in a deliberative strategic planning process to respond to the changes in student demand for mental health services. Although the University Life division has taken leadership on this issue, the data indicate that the faculty is not engaged in addressing this issue proactively. The study shows that rigorous data are needed to catalyze a more inclusive strategic planning and budget planning process. |
