UC-Berkeley Expands Mental Health Training Program
UC-Berkeley is increasing efforts to train students, faculty and staff in identifying and helping students with mental health issues, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The "Look for the Signs" training program began last year, but the university recently has offered the service to more members of the campus community. About 600 people have completed the training to date.
As part of the program, the university later this month will hold a training symposium on how to identify the warning signs of depression and other mental health problems among students. The symposium also will teach attendees how to help the student.
An online training program is under development, as well as counseling rooms for students in academic buildings rather than the campus clinic.
Mary Ann Mason, UC-Berkeley's graduate division dean and co-chair of the chancellor's advisory committee on student mental health, said the campus clinic is facing a shortage of professional mental health counselors. Mason said that the training seeks to create standards for all members of the campus community in identifying and helping students with signs of mental health problems (DelVecchio, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/1).