“More than 43 million adults in the United States struggled with mental illness in the past year. Half of us will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in our lives, and one quarter by the age of 14,” said SHAC Public Information Representative Maya Trujillo, citing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the wake of such high statistics, this Thursday, University of New Mexico will be hosting free, annual mental health screenings from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the SHAC on Main Campus and at the UNM Law School on North Campus.
Open to all UNM students, the training includes a written self-assessment and a one-on-one meeting with mental health professionals. Anyone who appears to need additional assistance will be referred to other local services.
The self-assessment forms can be filled out online or on-site at various tables. Students also have the option to pick up the forms, take them elsewhere and return them later that day, Trujillo said.
Trujillo, a graduate student studying public administration, helped promote and coordinate the event.
“Some studies suggest that there is an increasing number of students who struggle with getting treatment for their mental health issues in college,” said UNM Children’s Campus Education and Development Manager Lisa Ortiz. “It has also been noted that students are not getting evaluations they need to identify illnesses early that are highly treatable, such as depression or anxiety. When students do not seek treatment, it can directly impact their performance and persistence in school, as well as have negative health outcomes.”
Ortiz, who earned a bachelor’s degree at UNM in psychology and sociology in 2003, said the screenings will provide data needed for mental health assessments as well as access to mental health care for students.
“It is essential to highlight the importance of mental health, provide services that will support student health and well-being and continue to collect data and respond to the needs of our community,” she said.
Taylor Renegar, a sophomore psychology major, said that by assisting in identifying mental disorders, these screenings can also spark ideas as to how to treat the issues a student may be facing.
UNM alumna Erika Riojas, who teaches at the UNM Children’s Campus, said she believes the mental health screenings will be a positive asset for UNM staff and students.
Mental health screenings can help diagnose depression, schizophrenia, dementia and other mental ailments, she said.
Riojas and Renegar said they feel that data collected during these screenings can also assist other members of the community, and the information collected during such screenings have the potential to also benefit psychological studies.
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Riojas said such information can further help psychologists run better tests and assessments.
“These tests are great for helping employers understand their employees by being able to offer different ways to learn. Providing these services to students is beneficial to help students better understand themselves or others,” she said.
Renegar also said having mental health screenings readily available on campus can provide students with the assistance they need, especially if they have not been able to access such resources in the past.
This can increase overall student body health and happiness, she said.
“Being aware and educated is important with any aspect of our health,” Trujillo said. “Our brains and emotions especially; sometimes, we forget our mental health is just as important as (our) physical health.”
Trujillo hopes the screenings will educate the UNM community and increase community members’ awareness of their own mental health status as well as the SHAC’s mental and physical health resources, she said.
For Ortiz, mental health screenings will grant students an opportunity to have “essential information” about their mental and emotional well-being and hopefully identify warning signs or early signs of ailments that should be addressed by professionals.
“Overall, it will hopefully have a positive impact on their well-being and support students in seeking out needed services,” Ortiz said. “College can be an overwhelming experience and leave students feeling anxious and stressed. Identifying warning signs and early intervention is essential and may lead to better outcomes mentally as well as academically.”
Although mental health screenings are not equivalent to a complete evaluation, the screenings can help students determine whether their symptoms are similar to those found in: anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Anonymous self-screening tests can also be accessed at: http://shac.unm.edu/self-help-tools.html.
Elizabeth Sanchez is a reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Beth_A_Sanchez.
