Rhetorical Memo

To: Danuta Hinc

From: Melissa Eck, Margaret Lane, and Jasmine Pelaez
Subject: Proposal Paper Rhetorical Situation Memo
Date: December 11th, 2016

Audience and Format

Our primary audience for this proposal is Director of the University Health Center, Dr. David

McBride. Dr. David McBride has both the authority and familiarity with the University Health

Center website that will allow for these changes to become implemented. Our proposal will be

hand-delivered to Dr. McBride in the format of a report. This is the clearest format in which to

present our case because it allows for detailed explanation and ability to present our visual

elements. We have also included an executive summary in which we hope to entice Dr. McBride

into committing to a further reading of our entire proposal.

Visual Element

We understand that simply explaining our research and proposal for change is not as effective as

an argument that includes visuals. In our proposal, we have included pictures of our website that

illustrate the changes we are arguing for. This will aide Dr. McBride in visualizing the current

University Health Center website with the addition of our proposed changes and what that might

look like. This will add credibility to our argument, as it will emphasize our dedication to the

University of Marylands Mental Health Services website. We have also included infographics

to provide a different perspective on how one traditionally understands statistical information.

For example, one of our infographics visualizes the number of students affected by depression
 versus those who are not. This infographic will aid our argument to improve UMDs Mental

Health Services website for students, the administration, and for the entire campus community.

Author Contributions

1. Conception/Design
a. Conception of idea - Margaret
b. Design/Format - Jasmine, Melissa, and Margaret
2. Collection/Assembly of Data
a. Margaret and Melissa wrote the survey. Melissa, Margaret, and Jasmine provided edits and
revisions.
b. Melissa, Jasmine, and Margaret a sent out survey.
c. Margaret interviewed Julia Matute.
d. Melissa interviewed Katherine Swanson and Adrienne Baer.
3. Data Analysis/Interpretation
a. Jasmine, Melissa, and Margaret interpreted the survey results and decided where to use the
information in the proposal.
b. Margaret transcribed her interview and chose which quotes and information from the interview
to include in the final proposal.
c. Melissa filmed her two interviews, edited the videos, and included the transcripts of the
interviews in the final proposal.
d. Melissa used the survey results to create a mock website for the proposal and included
screenshots of the website in Appendix F.
e. Infographic: Mental Illness - Margaret
f. Infographic: University of Maryland Mental Health Services Survey, Fall 2016 - Jasmine
g. Infographic: Pie Charts of Survey Results, What do students want updated on UMDs Mental
Health Services website? - Melissa
h. Survey results from UMD Mental Health Services Survey - Charts/graphs screenshotted by
Margaret Lane.
4. Manuscript Writing
a. Rhetorical Situation Memo - Jasmine
b. Author Contributions Page - Margaret
c. Title Page - Margaret
d. Cover Letter - Melissa, Jasmine, Margaret
e. Table of Contents - Margaret
f. Executive Summary - Jasmine
g. Summary of Current Problem - Margaret
h. Negative Consequences of Situation/Problem - Margaret
i. Evaluating the Consequences - Melissa
j. Root Causes of the Situation - Margaret
k. Proposal to Address the Current Situation - Melissa
l. Conclusion - Margaret
m. Compilation and format of Documents, Appendix, and Works Cited- Margaret
5. Final Approval of Manuscript: Melissa

Proposal to Update the University Health Centers

 Mental Health Services Webpage

Melissa Eck, Margaret Lane, and Jasmine Pelaez

We pledge on our honor, we have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this
assignment.
Signed by: Melissa Eck, Margaret Lane, and Jasmine Pelaez

David McBride
Director of University Health Center
3134 Health Center
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

Dear Dr. McBride,

We are three University of Maryland upperclassmen enrolled in Danuta Hincs Advanced
Composition course proposing the need to update the University Health Centers Mental Health
Services Website. Students on college campuses are experiencing mental health issues, but are
unable or inefficiently equipped to seek professional help. Specifically, students do not know
how to tap into resources for mental health. According to a study by the American Journal for
College Health, one in four students feel they do not have enough knowledge to contact mental
health services. The University Health Center (UHC) website states 1 in 3 Terps will feel too
depressed to function.

We propose adjustments to the University Health Center website. Specifically, updating

descriptions of the mental health services the University provides. Our primary resources have
found that students main reason in failing to seek help is due to the lack of information on where
to seek help and whether their condition warrants help at all.

We collected primary research from a survey of University of Maryland students as well as

interviews of University of Maryland students and UHC staff. Secondary research was drawn
from our personal experiences and studies published in scientific journals. This report discusses
in detail the results of this research, which indicates that students would benefit from a website
with more comprehensive descriptions of mental health services at UMD.

Sincerely,
Melissa Eck, Margaret Lane, and Jasmine Pelaez
 Table of Contents

Executive Summary ....1

Current Situation .....2

Negative Consequences ..4

Evaluating the Consequences .5

Root Causes ....8

Audience Objections ......9

Our Proposal .10

Conclusion ....12

Appendices ...13

Appendix A ..............................................................................................................13

Appendix B ..................................................................................................21

Appendix C ..................................................................................................27

Appendix D ..........................................................................................................30

Appendix E ..............................................................................................................33

Appendix F ..........................................................................................37

Works Cited .....40

 Executive Summary

The University of Maryland University Health Center offers its students medical

resources to ensure the health and well-being of the campus population. The University Health

Center is located on campus between some of the most visited locations: the Stamp Student

Union and McKeldin Library. The University Health Center serves students through its physical

location, however, its online presence is equally as important. Students can easily access UHCs

website at http://www.health.umd.edu and arrive at a homepage with a sidebar menu that lists the

resources provided at the Health Center including, Clinical Services, Health Promotion &

Wellness Services, and Mental Health Services. (University Health Center)

Yet, upon our research, we have found that the portion of the University Health Center

website dedicated to informing students about their mental health services needs improvement.

One major problem with the current website is the inability for a student to make an appointment

with mental health services online. The website states, for appointments, please call and

therefore dissuades a population of students who are seeking help but would prefer not to speak

with someone over the phone (Mental Health Services). Our research has found that 63.6% of

students, if able to make adjustments to the University Health Center website, would implement

the ability to schedule an appointment with the mental health services online (Eck, et al.).

Our proposal addresses the issues found during our research, especially concerning the

lack of accessibility the current website provides for the University of Maryland student

population. Our proposal calls on changes, or updates, to the current University Health Center

website that will create an online avenue for students who are seeking help to schedule an

appointment in a way that they are comfortable approaching.

 The Current Situation

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being in which

every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can

work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community

(WHO). This definition, while long, emphasizes the point that mental wellbeing is beneficial,

and in fact necessary, for persons to be their best, most productive selves. Many factors can

influence the development of a mental illness, including genetics, family history, lifestyle, and

environment, as well as traumatic events (Mental Health Conditions).

Since 1990, evidence shows that college students are at high risk for having emotional

and mental health problems. These problems are not only limited to stress, but also concern

substance abuse, eating disorders, and clinical depression (Iarovici). College students are

particularly vulnerable to mental illness for several reasons. For one, most college students are

between the ages of 18 and 24; the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states in Mental

Health Conditions that half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14, and 75% of mental

health conditions develop by age 24. Another reason college students are at risk for poor

mental health is due to the lifestyle factors that are considered determinants of mental illness.

These include prolonged high levels of stress, inadequate sleep, unhealthy and poorly-balanced

diet, and frequent or excessive alcohol and drug use (Iarovici). These lifestyle characteristics and

habits are commonly found on college campuses, and therefore it not surprising that mental

illness is highly prevalent among college students.

To gather more information on the prevalence of mental illness, we conducted a survey of

over 100 students at the University of Maryland. For several questions, students were asked to

express their answers on a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being not significant and 5 being highly significant.
When asked if their mental state had affected their schoolwork, 68.2% of respondents rated a 4

or above. In addition, 64.6% rated a 4 or above for their mental health having affected their

social life. Also, 47% of respondents gave a 5 out of 5 when asked if their mental state had

affected their overall academic experience. This data shows that the majority of students feel

their mental health has strongly affected their college experience, both in and outside of the

classroom (Eck, et al.).

However, despite the high incidence of mental illness on college campuses, many

students find themselves unable or inefficiently equipped to tap into campus resources for

professional help. A commonly cited problem with mental health services on college campuses is

that they are difficult to find. A student mental health activist quoted in Building Bridges (2007)

pointed out that a lot of students dont know where mental health services are offered [on their

college campus] or how many they can use, which suggests that there is communication gap

between colleges and students (Center for Mental Health Services 11). Even those students who

actively seek information on their colleges mental health services run into trouble. According to

a NAMI report, 42% of student respondents rated the mental health information on their

colleges website as only somewhat helpful (Gruttadaro and Crudo 14). The results of our

UMD survey showed students experiencing the same difficulty, as 15.1% of UMD student

respondents reported not using mental health services because they did not know where to go.

Only 53.6% of respondents had visited the mental health services page on the University of

Maryland Health Centers website, and of these students, 46.9% gave it a rating of 3 out of 5,

saying it was only somewhat helpful (Eck et al.). The data from NAMI and Building Bridges,

enforced by our own UMD-specific survey results, indicate a widespread problem: college

students are in need of professional help, but are having difficulty accessing campus resources.
 Negative Consequences of the Situation

There are many negative consequences of untreated mental illness in students, and some take

years to fully manifest. Short-term consequences include decreased academic performance,

social isolation, self-harm, and substance abuse, while long-term consequences show declining

physical health and risk of suicide.

As stated by Richard Kadison and Theresa DiGeronimo, the quality of mental health

counseling services is directly related to the ability of many students to gain a college degree

(Trela 31). Mental illness can cause apathy and low energy levels that, if left untreated, can make

it very difficult for students to succeed both academically and socially. In 2012, a report by

NAMI found that 50% of students who failed to finish their degree due to mental health issues

did not access campus mental health services (Gruttadaro and Crudo 8). Other dangerous

outcomes of untreated mental illness include self-harm and substance abuse. Patients can fully

recover with treatment, but if left untreated these destructive tendencies and addictions will have

a lasting impact (Iarovici).

Leaving mental illness untreated for a long period of time often results in physical illness.

Having a serious mental illness (SMI) heightens your risk of developing a chronic medical

condition, and American adults living with SMI are found to die 25 years earlier than Americans

without SMI (Mental Illness Facts and Numbers). Unchecked mental illness can also result in

suicide, the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Suicide is also the third leading

cause of death in persons aged 15 to 24 years, and over 90% of persons who commit suicide had

one or more mental disorders (Mental Illness Facts and Numbers).

 Evaluating the Consequences

In order to evaluate the consequences of not addressing mental health at the University of

Maryland, we surveyed 110 students around the campus. The 12 question survey asked students

a variety of questions about mental health and UMDs Mental Health Services website. Below

are the responses to three of those questions.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Fig. 3
The full survey results can be viewed at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rSKyQ7ciPiCrsvRSSiMyFLQeROvF5ZGERVbYfkwvspo/edit
?usp=sharing or in Appendix D (page 32).

In addition to our survey, we conducted three interviews. The first interview occurred

with Julia Matute, University Health Center Coordinator of Marketing. Margaret Lane

conducted this interview with Julia on December 5, 2016. Margarets interview with Julia found

that the two biggest issues surrounding mental health services at UMD are the prices for

appointments being inconsistent and that the website is changing every three to six months. With

this information in mind, we wanted to see if UMD students had similar opinions. Two student

interviews were conducted by Melissa Eck on December 7, 2016. Her two interviewees,

Katherine Swanson and Adrienne Baer, were featured in the Diamondback article, The Waiting

Game, written by Taylor Swaak. The article was published on November 23, 2016, and detailed

the frustrations of students experiencing long wait times with the UHC Mental Health Services.

Two years later, and it appears that these students are still having the same issues with those

services. It was here that we discovered the root of the problem: UMD students are less inclined

to continue using mental health services due to the extensive process involved with setting up an

appointment, going through triage, and then being seen by a therapist. We argue that this stems

from a single website that gives students an information overload. If these changes are not made,

students may continue to seek resources outside of the campus.

*The interview transcripts can be viewed in Appendixes A (page 14) and B (page 20) of our

proposal.
 Root Causes of the Situation

There are several reasons why so many college students are not seeking professional care

for their mental health. First, there exists a stigma around mental illness. Though mental illness is

just as valid and potentially damaging as physical illness, many students face judgment,

alienation, and isolation which can discourage and prevent them from seeking help (Roper 75-

77).

Beyond the effects of stigma, students often fail to seek help because of a lack of

perceived need. In other words, students dont think they have a problem that requires treatment.

Indeed, our survey of UMD students found that of the 65.5% of students who had not made use

of campus mental health services, 56.2% did so because they did not feel the need to get help

(Eck, et al.). The perceived effectiveness of treatment also plays a part in deterring students.

There could be many reasons for students having low expectations about treatment. Some may

not be satisfied with the health services available to them; others may have heard poor reviews or

had bad experiences themselves (Kessler et al. 996). Regardless of the reason, those who feel

that they will not benefit from the services available to them on campus are unlikely to seek out

those resources.

Another significant obstacle for students is financial situation. Health insurance can be

very complicated to navigate, especially for young people; and in many cases, insurance plans

dont cover treatments for mental health issues. Even when insurance is not an issue, mental

health appointments usually come with associated costs, such as a copay. At the University of

Maryland Health Center, students with non-UMD insurance are charged a copay of up to $25

(Health Insurance).
 Finally, there are situational barriers that can keep students from seeking treatment for

their mental illness. For example, students may believe that undergoing treatment would take too

much time or be inconvenient. Also, scheduling an appointment may be difficult or even

impossible, if the treatment center is overwhelmed with patients (Kessler et al. 996). One of the

most common situational barrier is that students are not sure where to go for help. Part of this

problem can be traced to the online information provided to students, or lack thereof. Many

students fail to seek treatment because the information about the process is not clear or easily

accessible through their colleges websites. According to a NAMI report, two of the top five

reasons students found websites to be unhelpful are that they dont include information on the

typical mental health issues students experience in college and that there is no information on

how to access mental health services (Gruttadaro and Crudo 14). According to our own survey

of UMD students, only 11.8% of respondents reported that the website was adequate and not in

need of updates, signifying that the majority of students are not satisfied with the information

provided by the UHC (Eck, et al.).

Addressing Possible Audience Objections

Time may be a factor that concerns our audience. Deciding how to condense a large

volume of information can be a difficult and time-consuming task. However, we are proposing

the updates to the website so we would be involved in this process. Our contribution to the

website would save UHC employees time and deliberation, especially since we, as students, have

unique insight into exactly what students would like to see in an updated website.

The objection our audience is most likely to have is that there are already a large number

of students using campus mental health services. Resultantly, it often takes weeks to get an

appointment, and there are also limits on the number of individual sessions a student can have
per semester. As one University Health Center employee pointed out, they could hire 100 more

providers and still not have enough for every student. In fact, in order to ensure more consistent

treatment, the Counseling Center and UHC are both looking to establish relationships with

outside providers to whom they can refer students (Matute). However, the Health Center and

Counseling Center are, above all, for the benefit of all students, so it is unlikely that this

objection will be significant enough to overlook the benefits of a clearer, more comprehensive

website.

Our Proposal

On November 15, 2016, our group created and released the survey, UMD Mental Health

Services Survey. It can be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/1WUf90Q2XtDN2IeE3. The

survey was posted in multiple Facebook groups, including UMD Class of 2017, UMD Class

of 2018, University Honors Class of 2018, UMD United Against Hate, and WMUC Staff

(UMDs Campus Radio Station). It included 12 questions, which ranged from simple yes and

no answers to multiple choice options. One of the questions included, Which sections of

UMDs Mental Health Services website would you like to see updated? The options were

scheduling an appointment online instead of over the phone, listing the number of therapy

sessions, a new description of the services offered, or that no changes needed to be made,

(Eck et. al.). 63.6% of student respondents said that scheduling an appointment online was a top

priority for them. 15.5% of student respondents said they wanted a new description of the offered

by UMDs Mental Health Services, and 9.1% of student respondents wanted to see the number of

therapy sessions listed on the website.

We are proposing that a new website be updated to reflect those areas of interest. In

particular, we want students to have the ability to schedule an appointment online. In an

interview with Adrienne Baer, a senior Information Systems major, she stated that, even calling

on the phone is difficult and sometimes people cant identify that they need help...but just seeing

it online and saying okay well I can sign up for it online, its like not as committal. Its a little bit

easier for someone to stomach. According to the Social Anxiety Association, social anxiety

disorder is the third largest mental health care problem in the world today. If students feel that

they cannot make a phone call to address their mental health, their issues could become cyclical.

We want students to feel comfortable enough to schedule an appointment at the University

Health Center, regardless of the issue. The University Health Center allows students to schedule

any other appointment, such as primary care or acupuncture (University of Maryland). We argue

that this adjustment to the website is not only something that allows students the flexibility to

schedule online, but also feel privacy in regards to their mental health.

Our website is available at http://mentalhealthservicesatumdproposal.weebly.com/. The

website has five tabs for students to navigate, along with a button that links to a form for filling

out online appointments. With these simple updates to the University of Marylands Mental

Health Services website, the University Health Center would be able to avoid having so many

students call via phone for appointments. The other tab, What is Mental Health? addresses its

definition according to the World Health Organization, as well as identify the services that the

University of Maryland provides. We argue that while the University of Marylands Mental

Services website does list similar information on a single web page, it leaves students searching

to find the information they need. Our proposed updates would allow students to quickly

navigate the website without feeling frustration or stress about scheduling an appointment.

Therefore, an updated mental health services website would prove beneficial to both the
University Health Centers administration and to the students of the University of Maryland who

the UHC aims to serve. You can view screenshots of our website in Appendix F (page 37).

Conclusion

As discussed above, having access to mental health services on campus is a large

determinant of college student success. College students are especially vulnerable to mental

illness due to their age, lifestyle, and the pressures that come with being a student. Students here

at the University of Maryland are certainly not immune to mental illnesses: the majority of

surveyed UMD students agreed strongly that their mental state had affected their schoolwork,

social life, and overall academic experience (Eck, et al.). In fact, the University Health Centers

own website states that in a given year, 1 in 3 Terps will feel too depressed to function (Suicide

Prevention).

The consequences of mental illness can be incredibly costly and damaging. Students who

suffer from poor mental health in college are in danger of underperforming academically,

becoming socially isolated, and engaging in dangerous behaviors such as self-harm or substance

abuse. These habits can have lasting effects throughout a persons life: adults with untreated

mental illness are at higher risk of developing chronic physical illnesses (Mental Illness Facts

and Numbers). Additionally, the cost of mental illness is not limited to an individuals health.

The United States loses $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year due to serious mental illness

(Mental Health Conditions).

It is frustrating to read these statistics knowing that mental illness is often treatable and

even preventable. For some, having access to mental health services can make all the difference.

Ease of accessibility is particularly important for students; college-aged persons are just

beginning to gain independence from their parents, and in many cases this means that they have
limited experience with making their own healthcare appointments and dealing with insurance

companies. This relative inexperience makes it especially imperative that universities make their

services clearly available to students.

Though some have argued that a complete overhaul of the current system would bring the

most improvement to the mental health services at University of Maryland, we are suggesting a

less drastic modification. Our proposal advocates for updates to the current online information on

UMDs Mental Health Services. What we, as students, would like to see from the University is a

centralized website with clear and comprehensive information on the various mental health

services offered on campus. The results of the survey we conducted show that students most

want to see a website that lays out detailed descriptions of the services offered, states the number

of therapy sessions allowed, and allows online appointment scheduling. We have drawn up a

website draft to show what this could look like.

Our decision to submit this proposal comes out of a desire to make mental health services

easier for students to access. After researching the prevalence of mental illness and its potential

effects, as well as conducting in-person interviews with UMD students on their personal

experiences, it became obvious that action must be taken. Providing clear information and easy

access to student mental health services is an ethical responsibility, and an updated website

would be a large stride toward making this goal a reality. If more students had a better

understanding of exactly what services were offered where, it is likely that more students would

seek treatment for their mental health condition. As a result of getting treatment, fewer students

would drop out without finishing their degree, and more students would learn healthy coping

strategies that they could make use of for the rest of their lives.
 Appendix A

Transcript of Interview with Katherine Swanson

Conducted 7 December 2016, 11:30AM
Katherine Swanson: Im Katherine Swanson. Im a senior government and politics
major.
Melissa Eck: Okay, cool. Um, so just a kind of start-off question. Why did you start
using UMDs Mental Services?
Katherine Swanson: Um, so I am from pretty far out of state. Im from Texas, and I
wanted to be seen because I felt that I needed someone to kind of talk to...um...And my
parents had kind of recommended that. Um, and so because I couldnt like drive home
and see anybody, it felt like it made the most sense for me to go to somewhere on
campus.
Melissa Eck: Definitely. Um, and then kind of like following up with that...What was
your experience with UMDs Mental Health Services?
Katherine Swanson: Um, initially really positive. I really being seen by...um...And I
was able to find appointment times that really fit my schedule. As you read about, the
only thing that I really didnt like was that after eight sessions, um I was no longer able to
be seen by that same person and I was told that I needed to go find somebody else
essentially. And like I said, that was really difficult for me because...um...I had already
built a relationship with the person that I was being seen by. Um I like I said...was from a
really far away place and so it was really difficult for me to just find somebody without
being referred to someone. Especially, my parents didnt really know the area either.
Um, and also to be...By the end of those eight sessions, Id been diagnosed by the person
I was seeing with OCD and generalized anxiety disorder, but she couldnt do anything for
me anymore and so it was kind of like...almost...it just seemed kind of counterproductive
in that I knew something was wrong, um but I didnt have any resources on campus to fix
it. And so, I was really frustrated by that and kind of scared cuz I just didnt know what
to do next.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, um...Would you be willing to kind of share what you did next?
Katherine Swanson: Yeah, yeah sure.
Melissa Eck: Okay.
Katherine Swanson: I didnt do anything, um for a long time. Um, probably just
because I didnt know how and then after I went home, I began seeing somebody at home
like for the summer...I went home and began seeing someone there. But, then I came
back to school...um...I didnt really know what to do. And I didnt know at the time that
you can be seen again for eight sessions every year...um...But since then, I havent
actually gone back to the counseling center because, um, I...know that like after being
seen for eight sessions Im gonna have to find someone else. Um, Ive been working to
try and find somebody in the area who can see me for...I guess its been like a year now. I
mean Im a senior and Im about to graduate. Um, so its just been kind of like seeing
somebody when Im home when I can, talking about what I can do, um, for these things.
Um, but mostly just trying to deal with it on my own. Um, which I think some people
would argue like, Oh it must not be that bad if like youre not actively seeking anyone
out to be seen by. But, the reality is I just...finding a therapist isnt just like finding like a
dentist, you know. Its like finding someone who really understands you, who you also
feel comfortable talking to. And for me like I dont have a car, so I need to find some
whose close in the area or someone who I can get to by like public transportation...and
thats incredibly difficult. Um, so I havent done anything since...um, besides like look
for somebody like I said.
Melissa Eck: Definitely. Yeah, cause thats actually something I was gonna ask you
about because I know thats uh, you know something a lot of students face is you know
they go through these sessions and theyre not sure what to do afterwards you know. The
kind of get stuck and pigeonholed essentially. Um, and one of the things were
[Margaret, Jasmine, and I] like trying to advocate is that mentioning that you know, uh,
up and foremost on the website, um, because I think that its like kind of unknown
amongst, you know.
Katherine Swanson: Yeah, definitely. And I think...sorry not to cut you off.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, yeah.
Katherine Swanson: I just think like...One of the biggest things and...Sorry, I said I
wouldnt talk about SGA but like...One of the biggest things for SGA that were trying to
do is like talk to the Counseling Center about what their referral system is like,
because...nobody sat down with me and said lets find a doctor for you. And that
wouldve been so helpful, and I wouldve been in so much less angry about this eight
session limit if somebody had helped me find somebody who...I would feel comfortable
with, who also covered by my insurance and who was by and...Surely like you know they
work in this field in this area, they would know some people but just nobody did that for
me.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. Um, and I think like...Im sorry I didnt know where I was
going with this.
Katherine Swanson: Its okay!
Melissa Eck: Like one of the areas we are trying to like address..for our website, we have
three areas that weve asked students to choose from and its actually a survey weve had
going around the campus for the past couple of months. Um, and its kind of focused on
three different areas which include a detailed description of the services offered, um the
listing of the number of therapy sessions as I told you, and then actually scheduling an
appointment online as opposed to over the phone. Um, because I know that a lot of
students you know they may feel like weird about it, or uncomfortable and that sort of
thing, um. And like I wanted to know like, when you going through these sessions...did
you have to go to multiple locations cause thats something that a lot of students have
had to deal with, you know.
Katherine Swanson: I actually didnt have to ever. Um, and that was kind of what
shocked me is that I hear a lot of people talk about the long waits, um, at the Counseling
Center, and this multiple location thing, but that never happened to me. Um, but I think it
depends on whether youre being seen at the Counseling Center, or at CARE, or I know
theres like a family and health counseling something in like the school of public health.
But um, no I was seen at the same location every time.
Melissa Eck: Okay, like so were you at the University Health Center or?
Katherine Swanson: I was seen at the Counseling Center in Shoemaker.
Melissa Eck: Okay, gotcha. Yeah I know where that is. Um, and um its just..Its
interesting that you mentioned to me in our previous conversation about how you know
SGA is, um, trying to help with this mental health stigma. Would you mind, you know,
talking about it.
Katherine Swanson: Yeah, yeah absolutely. So theres a couple of things that were
doing. The first that I talked about to you specifically was that website we are trying to
put together, which is essentially like a partner website to our current UMD SGA, but it
lists...Its a lot like what youre talking about actually...It lists all the resources, the
session limit, um, but then it also lists in the area other, like resources for people who are
not directly related to the University of Maryland. Um, but its in an effort to spread
awareness of how people can get help and also to take all of the resources on campus and
put them in the same place...because...Really, in my opinion but I think a lot of people
think this. Our university has way too many websites that, which I guess...could be
counterproductive to like create another website, to like streamline that. But, people want
to go to one place to find mental health resources and we think that if we put it on the
[SGA] website, like a link to that...people would be more likely to see it. Um, and
because its like a student website like for students by students, we know what they really
want. Um, the other things that were doing in the spring [2017] specifically is that...Like
I said, were looking at talking to the Counseling Center about how to change the referral
system. Weve also...We think this might be kind of hard to do, but we wanted to see if it
was possible to have more than eight sessions, or at least enough sessions to cover you
through an academic year...but..Or, in...to change it to be like only get to be seen by the
counselors at the Counseling Center if your insurance doesnt cover an outside source.
And if it does cover an outside source, like the Counseling Center will work with you to
find somebody and refer you to them. So, that way the people who really really need the
Counseling Center can be at the Counseling Center and use those resources. And the
people who have the ability to go off campus, can do that. And also, we would like to see
the Counseling Center provide maybe like a shuttle the same way that the [University]
Health Center does to the hospital...for people to go to see a therapist in the area.
Melissa Eck: Wow, yeah I think thats a great idea actually.
Katherine Swanson: Thank you!
Melissa Eck: Um, and I didnt know like much about any of the sort of issues that...going
on with, you know, students having to look for outside sources.
Katherine Swanson: Yeah.
Melissa Eck: And that sort of thing. Um, and I know personally that like I didnt start
using the [University] Health Center until like this year, and you know
Katherine Swanson: A lot of people dont use it for anything.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, and I found out that my insurance actually did cover it. Um and I
had like been going to like, you know...I had mentioned to you that I was a commuter,
you know, going to these places closer to where I livedWhen I couldve walked...
Katherine Swanson: Right.
Melissa Eck: Like five feet and get to the [University] Health Center. Um, but I think
its like, you know, yeah.
Katherine Swanson: I think...I was just gonna add that I think something I realized was
that...A lot of people on this campus are from in-state, and Marylands such a small state
that its easy for them to drive home a lot of the time. Really easy, I mean you just
encounter so much traffic, but...People, some people dont realize that when youre from
far away, or even just like New Jersey. Its really hard to find a normal doctor and not
just go straight to the hospital. And so its really important that these on-campus
resources, especially in a place like College Park that kind of doesnt have anything in it,
uh, provides what students need because a lot of students dont have cars. They cant just
drive somewhere, especially if theyre really sick.
Melissa Eck: Yeah.
Katherine Swanson: And so, this kind of goes along...This is slightly off topic so I wont
talk much about it. But like, we want the [University] Health Center to increase their
hours too because theyre not open on Saturdays...Well they are 8 [a.m.] to 12 [p.m.], but
theyre also not open on Sundays and so, what if something happened to me in between
those hours that you arent open or that I really need to be seen, cause I was really sick.
Well youre not open so I have to go to the hospital, which means I have to pay a
hospital bill.
Melissa Eck: Right.
Katherine Swanson: And thats ridiculous. I mean this should be, this is a place where
students live there should be adequate resources for them.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. And I...I know...I cant remember I think its a copay of
$25 if you have your own insurance
Katherine Swanson: Correct.
Melissa Eck: And then its free if you have the student health insurance.
Katherine Swanson: Correct.
Melissa Eck: But, you know as youre saying like what about those students who dont
have health insurance, you know.
Katherine Swanson: Right.
Melissa Eck: Like how do they you know sort of navigate this system thats going on.
Katherine Swanson: Right. And I think students who dont have health insurance are
scared to ask and scared to even go because theyre like, Well what if I get hit with a
huge fee? And so, I think there are a lot of questions that they dont know the answers to
or who to ask. I just...I so badly...I dont know how, but so badly want to give them what
they need and then be able to answer their questions.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. Um, and like...these are kind of like some just statements
about..or questions about mental health. Um, which youve kind of answered in a variety
of ways...but. You know, why do you feel students should be using the mental health
services on campus?
Katherine Swanson: Um, I think...this is something a lot of people say but I think
college is one of the most stressful times, and I think...Also like, traditionally college
students are in their twenties and I think that can be really stressful time also. And I also
think its when youre, you know really learning who youre gonna be. Um, and so I
think its really important that students take that...take that time to talk to someone about
whats going on in their life and reflecting on those things and being mindful of those
things...And that...were just talking general mental health, Im not even talking like...If
you think somethings wrong, you should go to a therapist. Um, I think theres not an
emphasis enough on...general mental health like I said. Like just being mindful and
being able to reflect on your life and like not having to go all the time. And I think
people dont realize that the Counseling Center and [University] Health Center do
provide resources for those kinds of things. But on top of that, um, theres been a lot of
research that has shown that in your twenties is if a mental problem is going to present
itself, it will act then. A lot of people dont know until theyre like in their twenties that
they might be bipolar or schizophrenic. And theres like not enough awareness around
that fact and so I think people dont seek resources because theyre either not present, or
theres a stigma surrounding them and they dont get the help that they need. And then
they end up...you know...something bad might happen or they like, you know, arent
healthy essentially. So, sorry Im kind of rambling. Also I think like, you know, the
obvious answer is...suicide rates of like teens especially but also like I think people into
their later twenties has been too high for a long time. Um, and I think that, that could
obviously be stopped by those mental health resources. Um, but I also...saying that like
dont think that it should take the mention of suicide for like someone to go see a
therapist. I just think like I said, coming back to what I said originally. Theres not
enough emphasis on proactively taking care of your mental health. Theres so much like
waiting till its horrible to be seen by somebody. And I really think that there needs to be
a culture change. I mean in our whole country but more specifically on our college
campus that says like even if nothing is really wrong like right now, its okay to go see
someone to talk just to make sure that like youre healthy and that youre like keeping up
with whats going on with you and not just focusing on other people and your work and
stuff like that. Does that make sense?
Melissa Eck: Yeah it does cause we actually have like, um...One of the other groups in
my course is designing this pilot program for you know, high school students at a local
high school in Montgomery County I believe.
Katherine Swanson: Okay.
Melissa Eck: So its interesting that so many people...Ive seen this in my other
professional writing courses where, you know. Theres the Active Minds group on
campus
Katherine Swanson: Yeah, theyre great!
Melissa Eck: Yeah, um, and I think its...its kind of interesting how you know, as you
were saying...that stigma that goes on. But like, do you think theres like a root..and so I
wanted to ask you and youve like answered this in a variety of ways as you did the other
question about, you know...This sort of stigma like...it...Do you feel that UMD is doing
enough to address this stigma or is there still more that needs to be, you know?
Katherine Swanson: Thats a good question. My short answer is...no. Um, and I dont
just think thats a UMD thing I think thats across the nation. College campuses do not
do enough. Um, but speaking specifically to UMD, I think...Time and time again that
Ive been here and Ive been on the SGA all years that Ive been here, we have asked the
University administration to...not just to fund more mental health resources, but to help
us help them find funding for it. And they really havent committed to it. But the one
time they did commit more money to the Counseling Center was right before I got here
when somebody killed themselves and they thought, Oh my god this is horrible, we have
to do something about it. But like I said...It should not take someone killing themselves
for us to...to put more money into this. And I think that kind of goes with the stigma of
like mental...people with mental health problems are crazy. Well no, mental health is
about taking care of yourself internally and also like, making sure like I said...Youre
being mindful and reflective and taking that time for self-care and stuff like that. And I
just dont think that theres enough emphasis on that...here, or anywhere. Like I said, but
I think that that story in particular really says a lot about like, how we treat mental health
and how the world and our nation treats mental health. Um, I think though a lot of
advances have been made as far as like breaking a stigma, people really still see it, mental
health as like people being crazy or people killing themselves. And I just wish that
people would understand that we could proactive about this. But its really hard to get
our administration to do things like that.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. And I have to agree with you like I...and to be honest.
Um, prior to reading that Diamondback article, I didnt really know that it was such an
issue with these sort of wait times that people were experiencing.
Katherine Swanson: Well, people dont talk about it because
Melissa Eck: Yeah.
Katherine Swanson: Why would you want to openly admit that when so many people
say horrible things about people seek help?
Melissa Eck: Yeah.
Katherine Swanson: Sorry I cut you off.
Melissa Eck: Nah youre good. Um, yeah it was funny. Also in our research we found
that there was...I believe it was in 2013...there was a graduate student that actually
committed suicide and had unfortunately shot one of his roommates.
Katherine Swanson: Oh my god.
Melissa Eck: And they actually found that he had been dealing with some mental health
issues, but they werent, you know, being address on the campus.
Katherine Swanson: Right.
Melissa Eck: Um, and I think that goes back to the points you have been saying
throughout our entire interview with just...You know, people are scared to talk about it
because they feel that theyre gonna be judged or told theyre crazy or something like
that.
Katherine Swanson: Or that its like not real, you know?
Melissa Eck: Yeah.
Katherine Swanson: Yeah.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, thats a big thing. Especially with um, a lot of the uh...I guess were
considered the millennial generation and so sort of the generation X and Y...they
kind of, you know, dont put as much emphasis sometimes on this sort of issues.
Katherine Swanson: Right. And I...and I think...I just think thats so destructive. I
think, you know, people are always like, Well, youre not really like, you just want
attention or things like that. And I just...It just drives me crazy because...Even if you just
want attention, lets at least check it out to make sure youre okay. It wont hurt anybody
for you to be seen by someone. Yeah.
Melissa Eck: Okay I think were done.
Katherine Swanson: Cool! Thanks!
Melissa Eck: Thank you so much.
 Appendix B
Transcript of Interview with Adrienne Baer
Conducted 7 December 2016, 3:00 PM
Adrienne Baer: My name is Adriene Baer. Im an information systems major, which is a
business major, and I am a senior.
Melissa Eck: Very cool, very cool. Okay so, one of the the questions I start off with is
just kind of a baseline you know understanding and getting to know you. Um, so why
did you start using UMDs Mental Health Services?
Adrienne Baer: Um...well, I started seeing a therapist in general my senior year of high
school, um in October, because two...um...two kids in my high school committed suicide
and then about a week later my grandfather...my great uncle died. And then a week after
that my great aunt died and then it was like right around the time of applying to colleges
and things like that. And the stress just got to be like too much, um, combined with like
anxiety problems, um, and depressive tendencies. And when I came to UMD, it was kind
of like a fresh start. I was mostly okay, um had a great group of friends. Um, up until my
junior year of college. And so in October again...uh a friend of mine who had been in a
coma for a few months, um, passed away. And then...my grandfather passed away and
then 10 days after that my grandmother passed away. Um, and on the heels of that I
found out that one of my best friends from home had been raped at gunpoint. And it was
kind of a similar situation...just got to be too much so I decided that...uh even though I
had great support from my friends and family, I just needed some professional help.
Melissa Eck: Okay, and just sort of following up...What was your experience like with
UMDs Mental Health Services?
Adrienne Baer: It wasnt great. I called the UMD Health Center, and the first question
they asked was, Is it an emergency? And I...didnt...I wasnt actively suicidal or
anything like that and I also didnt exactly know what emergency meant, so I said no.
And they basically said we dont have time for you and hung up. Um, after that I sent
kind of a crazy email...It wasnt exactly in the best place, there was...along the lines of,
Im okay, Im not a danger to myself or others, but what if someone hadnt identified
themselves as being in an emergency but they were? Um, and you [UMDs Mental
Health Services] gave no criteria for that so like you cant do this to students so they were
like, Okay, well see you. So, they put me in for a triage appointment, and during the
triage appointment the woman I was speaking left twice...um, for other emergencies.
And Im sure the student was in need...Im not doubting that, but it was really frustrating
having been through the first part of that to then have someone get up and leave. Um,
when I was trying to trying to find help and they maintained that they didnt have anyone
who could see me at the [University] Health Center. Well they recommended the
Counseling Center, they put me in for an appointment there. And then the Center for
Healthy Families. So they helped me get on the phone and request, um, counseling at the
Center for Healthy Families. And in a way, that worked too because its...I believe a
graduate student and a um professional psychologist helping the grad student learn how
to do therapy so its...it would be two on one, and its...that service is also paid. So its, I
think its about $15 per session per student, um whereas the Counseling Center is free.
The Counseling Center couldnt see me for two-ish weeks and then I think I finally went,
um. I was there for a while before my appointment, and during the time that my
appointment was supposed to occur, I didnt actually get into the room with someone
until like way later until my actual appointment time. Um, and I had a really hard time
communicating with the person I saw. She...basically said, Oh, youre coping
mechanisms are fine...like youre fine. Um, not quite that blunt I mean she was very
understanding but...she...wasnt super helpful, but I did go back and see her. So the first
time was triage again, but this time at the Counseling Center was also frustrating, oh like
Im finally seeing someone but it was just triage to kind of place me somewhere. So,
same woman again we just didnt click, you know some therapists theyre just not for
everybody. You need to find one that you really identify with. Um, and then I was also
working with the Center for Healthy Families too to try and get some kind of long-term
therapy set up. And, it took them a while to get back to me. They asked me for my
schedule I gave them my schedule and they basically picked a time in my schedule and
were like, This is when you can meet with us. Um, which is really stressful. Im a
busy student, Im like really involved. I also have pretty high levels of anxiety. So, for
someone to say you need to be here at this time for therapy was like a little jarring to me
and um...I wasnt sure that I could pay for like...continually pay for therapy. Because
even though they like dropped the price down...I complained...They dropped the price
down to 10 dollars, but even 10 dollars per session it adds up, were college students we
dont have money. And then, by that point it was the end of the semester. I had finals. I
didnt even think I could fit therapy in my schedule, especially since it had taken so many
hours just to try and get myself into the door for all these resources just to basically bring
no success. I just...I just kind of gave up. I finished and I went home and Im from
Pennsylvania, so um...And then one...towards like the end of, during finals, I ended up
receiving an appointment with a psychiatrist. So the therapist didnt work, I got to see a
psychiatrist named Benali who was amazing. Um, probably the one bright spot in all of
this and then I followed up with her over winter break. And was put on some
medications. Although now I like Im not on those medications, which is good. Um, but
yeah. Then I...So Im back to Pennsylvania with my family and then the following
semester I did not seek any mental services because I did not want to deal with it again.
Melissa Eck: Definitely, and...What semester of school was this?
Adrienne Baer: This was fall of my junior year.
Melissa Eck: Gotcha. And then...um...This is kind of a question that youve hinted at but
its...it seems that you case was more close with the Counseling Center than with the
mental health services at the University Health Center.
Adrienne Baer: Are you asking which one I dealt with most?
Melissa Eck: Well one of the things they kind of note, with the University Health Center
is that you only have the eight sessions that you can go to and
Adrienne Baer: M-hmm.
Melissa Eck: You know, is that...is this similar to what you dealt with at the Counseling
Center or?
Adrienne Baer: I believe both of them have caps on how many times you can see them.
But in the case of both the [University] Health Center and the Counseling Center, I
wasnt able to get the first appointment. So the eight therapy cap didnt count for
anything because they we basically like, We cant see anybody else, unless youre
basically having like...like a huge crisis. Um, at the Counseling Center I probably had
like one of those eight, but it went so poorly and I had just gone through all of this mess
to try and get to the appointment in the first place to then switch therapist. It just seemed
like a little too much.
Melissa Eck: And this was a therapist on campus that you were seeing?
Adrienne Baer: At the Counseling Center, yeah.
Melissa Eck: Okay, gotcha.
Adrienne Baer: Yeah but neither case did the eight therapy cap mean anything and I
understand why they do it cause obviously they are understaffed, but um Im sure that
there are people on campus who they, um...the eight counts of therapy might not be
enough.
Melissa Eck: Yeah and...Could you explain, like you kept mentioning a triage session?
Adrienne Baer: Okay so triage just means placement. Its not like a therapy session, but
they meet with you to determine where the best place they can send you for resources is.
Which is really nice. It can be difficult to navigate the website like you said and figure
out exactly where the best place to go is.
Melissa Eck: Right.
Adrienne Baer: So they help sort that out for you, but I wouldnt have gotten the triage
appointment at the [University] Health Center had I not sent that email. So its not like
the offered up immediately.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. Um, one of the...We have a survey that we sent out...kind
of asking students how we could update the mental health services website, because we
have...At the moment, we have the University Health Center and then you have this little
tab dedicated to mental health services. And when you go through the page, its kind of
you know, just a bunch of text and it gets a little confusing to the eyes. I had to, you
know, really research it for a couple of days before I really understood it. And the three
areas that we asked the students to choose from was...Having a more detailed description
of services offered, as well as the number of therapy sessions, and then um, actually the
ability to schedule the appointment over the phone...which in your case seems the most
beneficial to you in your case, or sorry online instead of over the phone. Which in your
case, you had to end up sending an email out as opposed to getting these phone calls and
then, you know, basically them telling you that you were a necessary enough case.
Adrienne Baer: Yeah, um. So to address all three of those things. So the first was the
detailed descriptions. I think anyone whos in a place...I think anyone whos just
reaching out doesnt necessarily need an in-depth description of the places, but they do
need to know the differences between the two and which ones the best to reach out for.
Um, the second was...what was the second one?
Melissa Eck: The number of therapy sessions being listed, cause theyre currently not
being listed on the website.
Adrienne Baer: Okay yeah that would be helpful, definitely. If someones looking for
something thats like long term, it might be more beneficial for them to just immediately
go to a private therapist if theyre gonna need it for a really like time, or...Um, yeah I
think being upfront about it is definitely helpful. And then, for scheduling online I
definitely think thats something that they should do. I understand why they dont but
especially for like people who have anxiety...Social anxiety...Even calling on the phone is
difficult and sometimes people cant identify that they need help, so making a phone call
is a really big commitment but just seeing it online and saying okay well I can sign up for
it online, its like not as committal. Its a little bit easier for someone to stomach. I just
feel like, especially in the case of mental health. If you have to like call someone online
and youre on campus or something like that. Its really awkward. You have to like find
a quiet place to go and then its just. Its not something thats just like easy to do. Im
not a huge phone talker. I hate it. Um, so I feel being able to sign up online would be
great.
Melissa Eck: Yeah.
Adrienne Baer: Although, it is a little tough if they are booked, then its a little hard to
go sign up online and have this error message come back thats like, Oops, sorry!
Melissa Eck: Right, right. And like one of the sort of like discrepancies we found is that
they offer every other service of the [University] Health Center for you to ask for an
appointment for online, but why cant you do this in the same regard?
Adrienne Baer: M-hmm.
Melissa Eck: And I understand why they, you know, are more inclined to have a phone
call just to, you know, kind of find out. But, I agree with you, I think theres issues
within that sort of system. Um, I guess kind of following up. I know that you said you
havent had the most positive first-hand experiences with the university. But like, why
should students use these mental health services on campus?
Adrienne Baer: So a good friend of mine has had a lot of issues with mental health in the
past, and shes had an incredible experience with the [University] Health Center. Um, I
think theyve even extended...I think she wasnt doing that great by the end of her eight
sessions and they extended the amount of sessions just to make sure that she got on her
feet. Um, her therapist let them...was in contact with her. She kind of let them get in
touch with her at any time, which was incredible for that therapist to do. So I know shes
had a really good experience, um. With other things at the [University] Health Center,
Ive had a mostly positive experience. Um, I was really sick my freshman year and they,
um, I was there for an entire day and they really took care of me. Um, and its really
accessible. And its definitely a little more present than the Counseling Center. A lot of
people dont know about the Counseling Center. So the [University] Health Center, if it
could be a beacon of mental health and if mental health was accepted, um, then its just
like an easy place for students to go than to dig through Google to find out what the best
place they should go is.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, definitely. We had...one of the members in our group had...she had to
go to multiple locations for mental health, you know, the sexual assault group, the
Counseling Center, the [University] Health Center. Um, it seems that you didnt have
quite an extraneous level, but you still experienced it to a certain extent.
Adrienne Baer: M-hmm.
Melissa Eck: Um, and I think its just kind of interesting, um. Do you feel that if there
was more of a partnership between the Counseling Center and the University Health
Center, that we wouldnt have just so much of this back and forth going on...or?
Adrienne Baer: Um, I think they have a pretty robust partnership...at least thats what it
seems. I think all the mental health resources are in touch and funnel students back and
forth, but I did have to go through triage twice. So, one time at the [University] Health
Center like, Okay, where are we gonna place you?. And then at the Counseling Center.
So doing that twice is really frustrating, cause like the first time youre like, Oh, Im
going to therapy, and then like the second time youre like, Finally, Im getting help,
and so...Making it a little more robust or I...I definitely think there is a partnership there,
um. I think what it comes down to if Im gonna be honest is just funding. And the fact
that the University doesnt. You know, they can tap mental health awareness and claim
that they support it and things like that, but the dollars just dont show that. Theyre
understaffed, theres 37,000 people here. Um, I dont know what the breakdown is but
theres people who...theres just not enough therapists there to support the needs of the
students. Um, and theres definitely. Theres money flowing around campus. Im not an
expert on it, but if I had to gander that it was underfunded as it said in the [Diamondback]
article [The Waiting Game]. I dont think any changes have been made since last fall.
But thats where I would put the blame. The University isnt taking it seriously and
mental health is on the rise across the country. Um, so yeah I think they need to funnel
money and get good therapists on campus.
Melissa Eck: Yeah, um. I think youve answered this last question I have but Ill still ask
it to you. Um, do you feel that you know, UMD is doing enough that stigma of mental
health.
Adrienne Baer: Uh, I dont think so...uh. Its tough because I think that the students
here at the University of Maryland are coming up with amazing things. Grassroots
movement...Theres student groups. I know theres one [called] You Matter, which is a
social media campaign uh directed at mental health. Theres the Stress Less Carnival.
Theres events here and there...they, they seem pretty consistent that address it. So I
think its coming from the bottom up, which is how a lot of change does get made. The
students are there like, Hey listen to us. So there are incredible students that are
working uh towards mental health awareness on campus. Um, but at the same
time...Awareness. I think that as students were definitely aware of it, we can feel it...um,
in ourselves. I think the stigma reduction is getter better. Again, I think thats
students...being open minded and getting to know their classmates or being open with
their own stories. But I do not think that the University itself is doing enough. I dont
like...it...You can be aware of something as much as you want. But if youre not putting
the money in to bolster the resources, then...I dont think youre doing anything besides
trying to make it seem like youre doing more than you are.
Melissa Eck: Gotcha. Okay, well I think thats all the questions Ive had.
Adrienne Baer: Good.
Melissa Eck: And youve provided some really just amazing answers.
Adrienne Baer: Thank you.
Melissa Eck: Thank you for letting me interview you.
Adrienne Baer: Of course.
 Appendix C
Transcript of Interview with Julia Matute
Conducted 5 December 2016, 11:00 AM
Margaret Lane: In your opinion, what do you think is the best thing about mental health
services here at the University of Maryland?
Julia Matute: I think the best thing about University of Maryland mental health services
is that theyre very comprehensive, and that theyre specifically geared for our students
needs. So, the Counseling Center offers services for free: they offer therapy, they offer
walk-in groups, they offer a variety of services that maybe tailor or are specific to certain
groups of students, um, and theyre fairly easy to get into as I understand all mental
health services on campus are in high demand. At the Health Center, were able to offer
psychiatry services, which a lot of our students need, and just to help them manage their
medications, and we also have a therapist to support our psychiatrist. So its
comprehensive in that respect, along with our clinical services and other wellbeing
support services. So those are always available to all students at all times, but the fact that
it is very integrative and considerate of an actual students life I think is what makes
mental health services on campus very different, and emphasizes what our students need.
Additionally, other campus services that most students dont know about, because theyre
also available to the external community, those are beneficial on a variety of of
reasons. So, for example, Family Science offers family therapy, and that comes into play
when sometimes student issues are more family focused- although you may have to pay a
small fee to do that, there is that resource on campus. In Mental Health services here on
campus we really value our students confidentiality so there might be some thought
depending on what the situation is before a parent is actually brought in, and typically not
made a part of the therapy. Im not sure how that works at the Counseling Center but if
thats a specific need for students, that service is there.
Margaret Lane: And what do you think most needs work, about how the services accept
students or work together?
Julia Matute: I think, um, some consistency in how the services operate would be
helpful. In some areas, some areas you pay a little bit, some areas you pay on a sliding
scale- sometimes cost comes into play. Sometimes our students have health insurance
they would like to take advantage of, and that can be a barrier as well. Our mental health
services doesnt charge to health insurance, so that, again, may be a barrier. So we dont
charge to health insurance to reduce that barrier, but then when it comes to copays it just,
it gets very complicated. So if there was some kind of a streamlined way to address
that piece of it, to reduce the barriers for access to mental health services, I think that
would be a way to improve. And then also to be more clear about which what type of
services each part of the campus offers. So, I think were working towards streamlining
that through one of our Kognito resources documents, so we have something like that.
But its still its huge, and weve tried to condense everything to one page, that still
makes it difficult to navigate. So I think helping our students figure out how to navigate
the services when in comes to access would be a major improvement that could be made.
Margaret Lane: And how important do you think the Health Center and the Counseling
Center websites are in guiding students who are considering seeking treatment? Do you
think thats going to play a large part or do you think its not the most important thing?
Julia Matute: I think its one of the most important pieces- thats where students, and
just the public in general goes. They go to a website, they want to find a website that has
the answers to everything. And when the site is easy to navigate then the informations a
little bit easier to access. The fact that we have mental health like a variety of mental
health services on our campus, but you have to go to an individual site, page some
folks will never know that the University Health Center offers mental health services
because theyll think of the Counseling Center first. Some people will never know that
the Counseling Center exists on campus because they went to mental health services at
the Health Center first. Or they dont even know that, you know, theres therapy services
available in the psychology department
Margaret Lane: Right, and let alone how they all differ
Julia Matute: Yeah, right so I think a website is very critical and important to have.
Margaret Lane: Okay, and if you could make an improvement to the current websites,
what would it be?
Julia Matute: Okay, so, Ill start with the Health Centers mental health web pages
Our whole site needs an overhaul, but I think being that that one of the sections of the site
that receives the most visits, I think clarifying the types of services, putting it in clearer
language- like we keep working on that, and trying to adapt it and make it clearer, and
theres probably edits every 3 to 6 months on the website. But I think its also a whole lot
of text to read through, so if we could simplify that and be clear, and perhaps include
more videos, more images even just that step by step of heres what a visit looks like,
because sometimes that barrier to accessing services is the fear of the unknown. You
know, I dont want to go in and spill my guts to this complete stranger that I may or may
not like, and am I ready to do that, or whats that gonna look like. So I think just helping
to spell out steps, to even emphasize that sometimes that first visit with that provider, you
might feel like you know what, I dontthat persons not for me, and that thats okay.
Because folks think youre supposed to stick with that person who treats you, but theres
such a process to finding the right mental health care service its a match, because you
create a relationship with your therapist, and its really important that you like them and
that they can serve you. Sometimes providers- Counseling Center, Health Center, outside-
they feel terrible when they realize like Im probably not the best person to serve. So
helping provide students with tools to help them figure that out, and give them that
empower them to make those decisions and feel okay with that.
Margaret Lane: And then finally do you think its likely maybe in the near future, next
couple years, that UMD is going to integrate its various resources, counseling resources,
into maybe one place or one common system of kind of navigating?
Julia Matute: I am honestly not certain about that question, I dont know what the
response is. I think theres been a little bit of talk about that, but I think because all the
systems operate so differently it would need a lot of time. I know that currently the
Counseling Center and the Health Center are looking more towards outside referrals to be
able to send our students, to be able to provide better, more consistent service instead of
trying to limit our students to a number of visits per semester- nobody feels good about
that. And were in a position where we could hire 100 more staff and we wont have
enough, so were trying to figure out how our systems or our resources outside of campus
can benefit our students. Again, that goes to establishing relationships and making sure
our students feel comfortable with those relationships outside - we need to trust who
were sending people to so that it benefits the students. Were here to benefit the students
so I think thats going to take a lot of discussion, a lot of navigation, and honestly I think
students should get involved in those conversations to help make it suitable, make it a
win-win for everyone.
 Appendix D
Infographics not used in body of paper

InfographicbyMargaretLane

InfographicbyJasminePelaez
InfographicbyMelissaEck
 Appendix E
Survey Questions and Results
 Appendix F

Screenshots of Proposed UMD Mental Health Services Website Update

Home page of Proposed UMD Mental Health Services Website

What is Mental Health? tab of Proposed UMD Mental Health Services Website
Hours and Appointment Information tab of Proposed UMD Mental Health Services Website

Make an Appointment tab of Proposed UMD Mental Health Services Website

Scheduling an appointment form for UMDs Mental Health Services at the UHC
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