California College Students Increasingly Seek Mental Health Care

California college students increasingly are seeking mental health care, according to a study released Thursday by the RAND Corporation, the AP/Sacramento Bee reports (AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/10).

Background

According to STAT News' "Morning Rounds," California in 2013 implemented a statewide prevention and early intervention program for mental health across college campuses (Thielking, "Morning Rounds," STAT News, 12/10).

Specifically, the initiative allotted about $8.7 million annually for:

Campus outreach campaigns to reduce stigma surrounding mental health; and
Staff training to recognize when students might need help.

Study Findings

The study found that the percentage of students in public universities and community colleges in California who sought mental health care increased by more than 10% between 2013 and last spring.

The study projected that such mental health interventions could:

Help 329 additional students graduate annually; and
Yield a "societal benefit" of up to $56 million annually through increased earning power among graduates (AP/Sacramento Bee, 12/10).

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