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Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. This chart shows the number of suicide deaths by month and year, including the most recent provisional data available. You can access the full interactive chart by clicking on the image or the button below.

Suicide Deaths in the United States Overall and By Select Demographic Characteristics, 2021-2022

Footnotes
-Suicide deaths were identified by using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision underlying cause-of-death codes U03, X60-X84, and Y87.0.
-Data for race and Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) origin should be interpreted with caution; studies comparing race and Hispanic origin on death certificates and on U.S. Census Bureau surveys have shown inconsistent reporting. This might lead to underestimates for certain racial groups.
-Relative change was calculated using the following equation: (2022 Provisional count - 2021 count) / 2021 count x 100
-Provisional data are based on death certificate data received, but not yet fully reviewed, by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Provisional data provide an early estimate of deaths before the release of final data. Complete documentation may be found at https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-provisional.html.
-Data were accessed on CDC WONDER on August 10, 2023 and represent data received as of August 6, 2023.

Some groups have disproportionately high rates of suicide.

The racial/ethnic groups with the highest rates in 2021 were non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people and non-Hispanic White people.

The suicide rate among males in 2021 was approximately four times higher than the rate among females. Males make up 50% of the population but nearly 80% of suicides.

People ages 85 and older have the highest rates of suicide.

Firearms are the most common method used in suicides. Firearms are used in more than 50% of suicides.

Suicide rates increased 37% between 2000-2018 and decreased 5% between 2018-2020. However, rates nearly returned to their peak in 2021.

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Suicide rates increased 36% between 2000-2018 and declined 5% between 2018-2020. In 2021, suicide rates returned to the peak rate after declining for 2 years.

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Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

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All colleges require additional resources to better address students' mental health needs. But community colleges have particularly significant gaps in their ability to provide students with mental health resources. Research suggests that community college students may have even larger mental health needs than four-year university students, yet community colleges have far fewer resources to address those needs. Because community colleges serve a significant number of first generation college students and single parents - groups of students with particularly high levels of unmet mental health needs - community colleges play a vital role in interacting with students that most need mental health supports. However, even before community colleges saw significant enrollment declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they struggled to afford the costs of providing necessary mental health services. Now, COVID-19 has both exacerbated community college students' mental health needs and has left community colleges with even fewer resources to address those needs. This gap requires immediate action.

Community Colleges Need Funding to Provide On-Campus Counseling Services

Community colleges need significantly more resources to help address their students' mental health and wellbeing. Given the connection between mental health and academic success in college, improving students' mental health will likely improve their academic, and future economic, outcomes. Colleges and policymakers alike must therefore center students' mental health needs in all efforts to improve student wellbeing and outcomes.

To address students' mental health needs, community colleges need the resources to ensure that all students have access to on-campus mental health counseling and services regardless of health insurance status. By doing this, community colleges can help students who would otherwise face insurance-related barriers to receiving necessary counseling. Given that the cost of mental health services can be a significant barrier for people to receive counseling - even for people with health insurance - community colleges need enough funding so they can provide counseling that is free of charge to their students.

Beyond providing on-campus counseling, whenever possible, community colleges need to strengthen their partnerships with community-based mental health providers that they can refer their students to. While community colleges have an important role in expanding the presence and availability of their on-campus counseling services, not all students will feel comfortable - or adequately served - by on-campus counseling. Community colleges must ensure they develop such partnerships with local mental health providers, and effectively communicate off-campus counseling options to students.

Community Colleges Should Invest in Preventative Services

While community colleges need to ensure they can offer on-campus counseling to any students struggling with their mental health, they should also expand prevention efforts to help their entire community manage their mental health before a crisis develops. To do this effectively, community colleges should offer mental-health and wellbeing trainings to all faculty, staff, and students. Much like colleges offer academic orientations, community colleges should offer mental-health orientations so that students can learn to prioritize their wellbeing, faculty and staff can understand student mental health needs and spot the signs of mental health issues, and the entire campus can elevate mental health as a central, important pillar of the college's operations. Prevention efforts require additional investment in community college capacity in this area.

Given the connection between student basic needs insecurity and mental health challenges, increasing resources to help students address their basic needs will also strengthen their mental health. Congress should therefore increase its investment in programs that help students afford their basic needs such as housing, food, and transportation. Doing so will help students manage their mental health before crises develop.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate student mental health struggles, we need bold investments in community colleges so that they can facilitate student wellbeing. Congress should update the Public Health Service Act and the Higher Education Act to ensure evidence-based practices that support students' mental health needs can exist in community colleges nationwide. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services should also provide community colleges with additional information on mental health prevention and treatment so that these colleges can offer services that best meet their students' needs. Failure to act will leave vulnerable community college students without the resources that could potentially save their lives.

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The Growing Mental Health Crisis in Community Colleges

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All colleges require additional resources to better address students' mental health needs. But community colleges have particularly significant gaps in their ability to provide students with mental health resources. Research suggests that community college students may have even larger mental health needs than four-year university students, yet community colleges have far fewer resources to address those needs.

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Nearly 5.4 million full-time college students (60.1 percent of this population) drank alcohol in the past month, with 3.5 million engaging in binge drinking and 1.2 million engaging in heavy alcohol use (39.0 and 13.2 percent, respectively). Nearly 2.0 million full-time college students (22.2 percent) used an illicit drug in the past month.

On an average day during the past year, full-time college students used the following substances (Figure 3):

1.2 million full-time college students drank alcohol;

703,759 full-time college students used marijuana;

11,338 full-time college students used cocaine;

9,808 full-time college students used hallucinogens;

4,570 full-time college students used heroin; and

3,341 full-time college students used inhalants.

Full-time college students who used alcohol in the past month drank an average of 4.1 drinks per day on the days on which they drank. Full-time college students who used alcohol in the past month drank on an average of 6.4 days per month.

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people with alcohol use or abuse problems as population group

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people with substance use or abuse problems as population group

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A Day in the Life of College Students Aged 18 to 22: Substance Use Facts

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Nearly 5.4 million full-time college students (60.1 percent of this population) drank alcohol in the past month, with 3.5 million engaging in binge drinking and 1.2 million engaging in heavy alcohol use (39.0 and 13.2 percent, respectively). Nearly 2.0 million full-time college students (22.2 percent) used an illicit drug in the past month.

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Substance Abuse - IHE | National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)

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K-12 Higher Education Substance abuse is a harmful pattern of alcohol or other drug (AOD) use.

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Harmful and underage college drinking are significant public health problems, and they exact an enormous toll on the lives of students on campuses across the United States.

Drinking at college has become a ritual that students often see as an integral part of their higher education experience. Some students come to college with established drinking habits, and the college environment can lead to a problem. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 49.3% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the past month. Of those, about 27.4% engaged in binge drinking during that same time frame. ¹ For the purposes of this survey, binge drinking was defined as consuming 5 drinks or more on one occasion for males and 4 drinks or more for females. However, some college students drink at least twice that amount, a behavior that is often called high-intensity drinking. ²

What Is Binge Drinking?

Many college alcohol problems are related to binge drinking. NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%-or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter-or more. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours. ¹¹

Drinking this way can pose serious health and safety risks, including car crashes, drunk-driving arrests, sexual assaults, and injuries. Over the long term, frequent binge drinking can damage the liver and other organs.

Note: BAC of 0.08% corresponds to 0.08 grams per 100 milliliters.

Consequences of Harmful and Underage College Drinking

Drinking affects college students, their families, and college communities.

Death

The most recent statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimate that about 1,519 college students ages 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes. ³

Assault

The most recent NIAAA statistics estimate that about 696,000 students ages 18 to 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking. ⁴

Sexual Assault

Although estimating the number of alcohol-related sexual assaults is exceptionally challenging-since sexual assault is typically underreported-researchers have confirmed a long-standing finding that 1 in 5 college women experience sexual assault during their time in college. ⁵ A majority of sexual assaults in college involve alcohol or other substances. 6,7 Research continues in order to better understand the relationships between alcohol and sexual assault among college students. Additional national survey data are needed to better estimate the number of alcohol-related assaults.

Academic Problems

About 1 in 4 college students report experiencing academic difficulties from drinking, such as missing class or getting behind in schoolwork.

In a national survey, college students who binge drank alcohol at least three times per week were roughly six times more likely to perform poorly on a test or project as a result of drinking (40% vs. 7%) than students who drank but never binged. The students who binge drank were also five times more likely to have missed a class (64% vs. 12%).

Alcohol Use Disorder

Around 13% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 meet the criteria for past-year alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to the 2021 NSDUH. ¹⁰

Other Consequences

Other consequences include suicide attempts, health problems, injuries, unsafe sexual behavior, and driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as vandalism, damage, and involvement with the police.

How Much Is a Drink?

To avoid binge drinking and its consequences, college students (and all people who drink) are advised to track the number of drinks they consume over a given period of time. That is why it is important to know exactly what counts as a drink.

In the United States, a standard drink (or one alcoholic drink-equivalent) is one that contains 0.6 fl oz or 14 grams of pure alcohol (also known as an alcoholic drink-equivalent), which is found in the following:

12.0 oz of beer with about 5% alcohol content

5.0 oz of wine with about 12% alcohol content

1.5 oz of distilled spirits (e.g., gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey) with about 40% alcohol content

Unfortunately, although the standard drink (or alcoholic drink-equivalent) amounts are helpful for following health guidelines, they may not reflect customary serving sizes. A large cup of beer, an overpoured glass of wine, or a single mixed drink could contain much more alcohol than a standard drink. In addition, the percentage of pure alcohol varies within and across beverage types (e.g., beer, wine, and distilled spirits).

Factors Affecting Student Drinking

Although some students come to college already having some experience with alcohol, certain aspects of college life-such as unstructured time, widespread availability of alcohol, inconsistent enforcement of underage drinking laws, and limited interactions with parents and other adults-can lead to a problem. In fact, college students have higher binge-drinking rates and a higher incidence of driving under the influence of alcohol than their noncollege peers.

The first 6 weeks of freshman year are a vulnerable time for heavy drinking and alcohol-related consequences because of student expectations and social pressures at the start of the academic year.

Factors related to specific college environments also are significant. Students attending schools with strong Greek systems or prominent athletic programs tend to drink more than students at other types of schools. In terms of living arrangements, alcohol consumption is highest among students living in fraternities and sororities and lowest among commuting students who live with their families.

An often-overlooked preventive factor involves the continuing influence of parents. Research shows that students who choose not to drink often do so because their parents discussed alcohol use and its adverse consequences with them.

Addressing College Drinking

Ongoing research continues to improve our understanding of how to address the persistent and costly problem of harmful and underage student drinking. Successful efforts typically involve a mix of strategies that target individual students, the student body as a whole, and the broader college community.

Strategies Targeting Individual Students

Individual-level interventions target students, including those in higher risk groups such as first-year students, student athletes, members of Greek organizations, and mandated students. The interventions are designed to change student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to alcohol so they drink less, take fewer risks, and experience fewer harmful consequences.

Categories of individual-level interventions include the following:

Education and awareness programs

Cognitive-behavioral skills-based approaches

Motivation and feedback-related approaches

Behavioral interventions by health professionals

Strategies Targeting the Campus and Surrounding Community

Environmental-level strategies target the campus community and student body as a whole. They are designed to change the campus and community environments where student drinking occurs. Often, a major goal is to reduce the availability of alcohol because research shows that reducing alcohol availability cuts consumption and harmful consequences on campuses as well as in the general population.

Alcohol Overdose and College Students

Thousands of college students are transported to the emergency room each year for alcohol overdose, which occurs when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that areas of the brain controlling basic life-support functions-such as breathing, heart rate, and temperature control-begin to shut down. Signs of this dangerous condition can include the following:

Mental confusion, stupor

Difficulty remaining conscious or inability to wake up

Vomiting

Seizures

Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute)

Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)

Slow heart rate

Clammy skin

Dulled responses, such as no gag reflex (which prevents choking)

Extremely low body temperature, bluish skin color, or paleness

Alcohol overdose can lead to permanent brain damage or death, so a person showing any of these signs requires immediate medical attention. Do not wait for the person to have all the symptoms, and be aware that a person who has passed out can die. Call 911 if you suspect alcohol overdose.

A Mix of Strategies Is Best

For more information on individual- and environmental-level strategies, visit NIAAA's CollegeAIM (which stands for College Alcohol Intervention Matrix) guide and interactive website. Revised and updated in 2020, CollegeAIM rates more than 60 alcohol interventions for effectiveness, cost, and other factors-and presents the information in a user-friendly and accessible way.

In general, the most effective interventions in CollegeAIM represent a range of counseling options and policies related to sales and access. After analyzing alcohol problems at their own schools, officials can use the CollegeAIM ratings to find the best combination of interventions for their students and unique circumstances.

Research suggests that creating a safer campus and reducing harmful and underage student drinking will likely come from a combination of individual- and environmental-level interventions that work together to maximize positive effects. Strong leadership from a concerned college president in combination with engaged parents, an involved campus community, and a comprehensive program of evidence-based strategies can help address harmful student drinking.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), caution should be used when comparing estimates from the 2020 and 2021 NSDUH to those from prior years due to methodological changes. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, data were collected during in-home visits using computer assisted techniques. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a delay in data collection during 2020 and the introduction of web-based data collection with very limited in-person data collection. The criteria used to categorize AUD among respondents also changed in 2020 from the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) to the fifth edition (DSM-5), resulting in some differences in who is classified as having a substance use disorder. Specifically, DSM-5 criteria could lead to a diagnosis of AUD for some respondents, with too few symptoms to be diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria. Because these changes in data collection coincided with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and any related behavioral or mental health changes, we cannot fully separate the effects of methodological changes from true changes in the outcomes. Please see the Methodological Summary and Definitions for more information.

¹ Calculated using past 30-day quantity and frequency of alcohol use and past 30-day frequency of binge drinking (4+ drinks for females and 5+ drinks for males on the same occasion) from the 2021 NSDUH public-use data file. SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Statistics and Quality [Internet]. 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH-2021-DS0001). Public-use file dataset, 2021. [cited 2023 Mar 3]. Available from: https://www.datafiles.samhsa.gov/dataset/national-survey-drug-use-and-health-2021-nsduh-2021-ds0001

² Hingson RW, Zha W, White AM. Drinking beyond the binge threshold: predictors, consequences, and changes in the U.S. Am J Prev Med, 2017;52(6):717-27. PubMed PMID: 28526355

3 Methodology for arriving at estimates described in Hingson R, Zha W, and Smyth D. Magnitude and trends in heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-impaired driving, and alcohol-related mortality and overdose hospitalizations among emerging adults of college ages 18-24 in the United States, 1998-2014. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2017;78(4):540-48. PubMed PMID: 28728636

⁴ Methodology for arriving at estimates described in Hingson R, Heeren T, Winter M, Wechsler H. Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18-24: changes from 1998 to 2001. Annu Rev Public Health. 2005;26:259-79. PubMed PMID: 15760289

5 Muehlenhard C, Peterson Z, Humphreys T, Jozkowski K. Evaluating the one-in-five statistic: women's risk of sexual assault while in college. J Sex Res. 2017;54(4-5):549-76. PubMed PMID: 28375675

6 Carey KB, Durney SE, Shepardson RL, Carey MP. Incapacitated and forcible rape of college women: prevalence across the first year. J Adolesc Health. 2015;56(6):678-80. PubMed PMID: 26003585

7 Lawyer S, Resnick H, Bakanic V, Burkett T, Kilpatrick D. Forcible, drug-facilitated, and incapacitated rape and sexual assault among undergraduate women. J Am Coll Health. 2010;58(5):453-60. PubMed PMID: 20304757

8 Wechsler H, Lee JE, Kuo M, Seibring M, Nelson TF, Lee H. Trends in college binge drinking during a period of increased prevention efforts. Findings from 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001. J Am Coll Health. 2002;50(5):203-17. PubMed PMID: 11990979

9 Presley CA, Pimentel ER. The introduction of the heavy and frequent drinker: a proposed classification to increase accuracy of alcohol assessments in postsecondary educational settings. J Stud Alcohol. 2006;67(2):324-31. PubMed PMID: 16562416

10 SAMHSA, Center for Behavioral Statistics and Quality. 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 8.31B-Alcohol use disorder in past year: among people aged 18 to 22, by college enrollment status and demographic characteristics: percentages, 2021 [cited 2023 Jan 19]. Available from: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt39441/NSDUHDetailedTabs2021/NSDUHDetailedTabs2021/NSDUHDetTabsSect8pe2021.htm#tab8.31b

11 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [Internet]. Defining binge drinking. In: What Colleges Need to Know Now: An Update on College Drinking Research. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 2007 [cited 2021 Oct 22]. Available from: https://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/media/1College_Bulleting-508_361C4E.pdf

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Harmful and underage college drinking are significant public health problems, and they exact an enormous toll on the intellectual and social lives of students on campuses across the United States. Drinking at college has become a ritual that students often see as an integral part of their higher education experience.

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An accessible healthy nutrition environment provides college students with opportunities to access nutritious and appealing foods and beverages, consistent and accurate messages about healthy nutrition, and ways to learn about and practice healthy eating. Physical activity and exercise via accessible athletics, co-curricular activities, physical education courses, and recreational facilities are beneficial for college students' motivation for learning and academic performance. A good cardiovascular system developed from regular exercise promotes excellent blood and oxygen circulation, allowing more nutrients to circulate throughout the body, including - most importantly - the brain. This circulation produces a longer attention span during course sections, resulting in longer concentration and absorption.

Campus health - including mental health - services are vital to providing routine and emergency care for prevention, illness, or injury while attending an IHE. Campus health services ensure that all students are able to receive appropriate sexual health and substance use screening care. These services also help monitor for and control the spread of communicable disease, provide education and counseling in a variety of health and wellness topics, and serve as a medical resource in the development of campus policies and procedures.

Allensworth, D., Lawson, L., Nicholson, L., & Wyche. J. (Eds.). (1997). School & Health: Our Nation's Investment (p. 226). National Academy Press: Washington, D.C.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Comprehensive Framework for Addressing the School Nutrition Environment and Services. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Health and Academic Achievement. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services. .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services. .

Gee, K. A., Haghighat, M. D., Vang, T. M., & Cooc, N. (2021). In the Aftermath of School Victimization: Links Between Authoritative School Climate and Adolescents' Perceptions of the Negative Effects of Bullying Victimization. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1-14.

Marx, E., & Wooley, S. F. (Eds.) (1998). Health Is Academic: A Guide to Coordinated School Health Programs (p.4). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

UNSPECIFIED. (2009). The Health and Well-Being of Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2007. Project Report. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.

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K-12 Higher Education Physical health at institutions of higher education (IHEs) refers to the physical well-being of members of the campus community.

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Module 5 Gaps, Critical Issues, & Partnerships Report

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Student mental health is in crisis. Campuses are rethinking their approach

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Amid massive increases in demand for care, psychologists are helping colleges and universities embrace a broader culture of well-being and better equipping faculty to support students in need.

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Key Findings

Community colleges in the study have expanded their mental health support programs through integrating them in the broader college environment.

While community colleges in this study offered multiple levels of mental health supports, most lack a clear organizing framework.

Community college leadership should consider explicitly supporting prioritization of student mental health-and broad staff buy-in is important.

Community colleges struggle to meet students' mental health needs because of limited resources.

Financial support for student mental health should extend beyond high school.

The United States faces an unprecedented mental health crisis, with youth and young adults at the center. Even before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nearly 50 percent of college students reported at least one mental health concern. Without adequate mental health support, college students, including those at community colleges, may be at risk for a variety of academic and nonacademic consequences that negatively affect their overall well-being, including lower college completion rates, higher rates of substance use, and lower lifetime earning potential.

In a recent study, RAND researchers examining eight community colleges from across the United States found that, although the institutions did offer mental health services, most lacked a clear organizing framework for those efforts, and that financial challenges limited the support offered to students. The research also highlighted the importance of community college leaders explicitly prioritizing student mental health, as well as broad staff buy-in to the effort.

Funding, Leadership, and Structured Approaches Are Key

The RAND report Supporting Mental Health Needs of Community College Students highlighted several opportunities for community colleges to improve the implementation and effectiveness of student mental health support systems. These opportunities include enhanced leadership support, use of guiding frameworks and data-driven decisionmaking, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to support planning and implementation.

To address the financial challenges that constrain community colleges' ability to provide more-comprehensive mental health support, institutions should consider reallocating existing financial resources and pursuing additional funding for mental health initiatives. Funding from federal, state, and local agencies is also necessary to support these institutions' efforts. Developing both consistent and long-term funding sources and incentives for community colleges to implement mental health programs and services will help create sustainable and comprehensive mental health supports for students.

Studying an Untapped Mental Health Opportunity

Community colleges serve more than 7 million students each year, making them the main entry point for more than 40 percent of students seeking a postsecondary education degree.

Community colleges serve more than 7 million students each year, making them the main entry point for more than 40 percent of students seeking a postsecondary education degree. Additionally, community colleges serve a higher percentage of students of color and low-income students (who are at increased risk for mental health challenges) than do four-year universities. This being the case, community colleges present a tremendous untapped opportunity for the United States to better address mental health and health equity, particularly for those who have been historically underserved.

RAND researchers, with collaborators from the Institute of Education Sciences' (IES) College Completion Network and the University of Texas, Dallas, conducted a descriptive study of eight community colleges belonging to the JED Foundation and Active Minds networks that are implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health (i.e., a combination of prevention, early intervention and/or treatment services). The JED Foundation and Active Minds are both nonprofit organizations leading nationwide efforts to support student mental health by promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and introducing suicide prevention strategies on college campuses.

In collaboration with Active Minds and the JED Foundation, the researchers identified and recruited eight community colleges within the Active Minds and JED Campus networks implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health. (The four-year JED Campus program provides technical assistance to four- and two-year colleges in developing comprehensive plans that address a diversity of student mental health challenges.) Focusing on colleges that are likely "ahead of the curve" on implementing more-holistic strategies to support student mental health allowed the research team to conduct a more focused and in-depth exploration of potentially replicable solutions for community colleges across the country. The selected schools are geographically diverse and serve large proportions of students of color or low-income students.

Between February and July 2022, the researchers conducted interviews with representatives from each of the eight colleges (15 interviews with 28 individuals: 19 mental health counselors or other staff and nine administrators). The researchers analyzed the interview data using a combination of deductive approaches (comparing data with findings from the existing research base and insights from mental health experts) and inductive approaches (identifying themes and patterns that could not be categorized by a priori knowledge).

The study aimed to

describe how community colleges support student mental health across a continuum of care from prevention to treatment

describe how community colleges are addressing student mental health through the broader college environment

identify challenges and facilitators that these community colleges encountered in addressing student mental health.

Lesson: Community Colleges Offer Many Mental Health Supports but Largely Lack an Organizing Framework

The researchers found that colleges implemented a wide variety of efforts to support student mental health across the spectrum from well-being to illness. These efforts included student-centric programs (e.g., stress reduction seminars or educating students about available resources), faculty- and staff-focused efforts (e.g., gatekeeper training or educating staff on the link between mental health and academic success), and institution-wide efforts (e.g., forming mental health task forces to explore strategies to support student mental health). Yet most colleges did not have a clear institutional vision or strategic plan for how mental health supports could be coordinated and delivered.

Community colleges should consider adopting and formalizing a strategic plan or framework to improve coordination and collaboration across efforts, reduce redundancies, and guide decisionmaking about resource allocation. Those frameworks can be based on the Public Health Prevention Framework (Figure 1) or the Ecological Systems Theory (Figure 2), which considers mental health interventions at the individual, interpersonal, communal, institutional, and policy-oriented levels. These frameworks may assist community colleges in identifying, developing, and implementing efforts that are most likely to have a positive effect on students' well-being and success.

Figure 1. Public Health Prevention Framework to Support College Mental Health

A pyramid with Tier 1 at the base that narrows to Tier 3

Tier 1: Prevention

Universal programs and resources for all students to promote mental health wellness and improve knowledge and attitudes related to mental illness

Examples: stigma-reduction campaigns, stress management program, positive psychology seminar

Tier 2: Early Intervention

Secondary prevention for students at risk for mental health challenges

Examples: small group interventions, gate-keeper training, skills training for at-risk students

Tier 3: Treatment

Intensive intervention for students with identified mental disorders

Examples: treatment services, crisis lines, telehealth

SOURCE: Adapted from Lise Fox, Judith Carta, Phillip Strain, Glen Dunlap, and Mary Hemmeter, "Response to Intervention and the Pyramid Model," Infants & Young Children, Vol. 23, No. 1, 2009; and Sara Abelson, Sarah Ketchen Lipson, and Daniel Eisenberg, "Mental Health in College Populations: A Multidisciplinary Review of What Works, Evidence Gaps, and Paths Forward," in Laura W. Perna, ed., Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Vol. 37, Springer International Publishing, 2022.

Figure 2. Ecological Systems Theory for College Mental Health

A series of nested circles from the outside in:

History, society, and policy

Institution

Campus community

Interpersonal

Individual

SOURCE: Adapted from Urie Bronfenbrenner, "Ecological Systems Theory (1992)," in Urie Bronfenbrenner, ed., Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development, Sage Publications, 2005; and Abelson et al., 2022.

Lesson: Integrate Mental Health Services Into the Broader College

Staff at all of the surveyed colleges attested to the importance of integrating mental health supports and services within the whole college environment. Their efforts included

integrating information on mental health resources at the college into the broader environment, including course syllabi or lessons, classrooms, academic advising, basic needs support, and financial assistance services

staff education on the importance of student mental health and what to do when interacting with a distressed student

colocation of mental health and academic or basic needs services

establishing cross-disciplinary task forces

more-explicit referral and screening processes and supports between instructors, academic counselors, and mental health counseling staff.

These efforts have the potential to demonstrate the institution's commitment to student mental health to students, faculty, and staff and help foster a supportive campus environment for all.

Lesson: College Leaders and Staff Should Consider Prioritizing Student Mental Health

The prioritization of student mental health by campus leadership was reported as critical for securing increased financial support for programs, ensuring institutionalization of mental health counselor positions, and enhancing buy-in and support from faculty and staff. Many study participants noted that faculty and staff outside fields related to mental health (e.g., psychology, social work, nursing) have not widely adopted the idea that supporting mental health is part of their role in educating students. Additionally, institutions should consider establishing or maintaining a team representing all sectors of the college that oversees strategic planning efforts to coordinate and support mental health efforts on campus.

Lesson: Limited Resources Constrain Colleges' Efforts

Community colleges should consider reallocating existing financial resources and seeking additional financial resources to increase capacity to support student mental health.

Many study participants shared that limited staff capacity presents a major challenge to fulfilling the increasing demand for mental health supports and services. Despite the use of a variety of approaches to expand access to mental health services (e.g., telehealth, grant-based funding to hire more counselors, community-based partnerships), many study participants noted challenges in reaching students in need, particularly historically marginalized populations who that need additional support.

To address these challenges, community colleges should consider reallocating existing financial resources and seeking additional financial resources to increase capacity to support student mental health. To streamline processes and lighten the burden on mental health counselors, community-college administrators should consider conducting an audit or needs assessment to reduce redundancy and improve the efficacy of their existing efforts. In addition, they should consider simultaneously integrating campus-wide support systems, elevating efforts that have been most successful at reaching students, and identifying key opportunities to better engage and support students most at risk (e.g., students of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning students; first-generation students; and low-income students).

Lesson: Existing Financial Resources Largely Are Not Sufficient

Community colleges struggle to find financial resources to support their efforts (even among a sample of community colleges likely ahead of the curve on addressing student mental health).

Community colleges struggle to find financial resources to support their efforts (even among a sample of community colleges likely ahead of the curve on addressing student mental health). A few participants described successes in obtaining grants from local, state, and federal agencies. Although these resources are helpful, they did not appear to adequately support these colleges' mental health initiatives. The responsibility to maintain a constant flow of grant dollars places a tremendous burden on counseling and student success staff.

Establishing consistent and long-term funding sources to support community colleges may be necessary to create sustainable and comprehensive mental health supports for students. Government agencies and philanthropies should consider prioritizing funding mental health supports and services on campuses. Additionally, national, state, and local funders of higher education should consider incentivizing community colleges to provide support for students' mental health across the continuum of care (prevention through treatment). Finally, states should consider modifying insurance laws or regulations to allow institutions to use general funds and/or designated health fees for expenses that are not covered by students' personal insurance.

Context for the Study's Findings

These findings must be considered within the context of the study's limitations. First, the study drew on a relatively small sample of community colleges, which may have excluded other community colleges that might also have a multilevel and holistic approach to supporting student mental health. In addition, the researchers relied on a relatively small sample size of eight colleges and feedback from 28 college faculty and staff. As a result, the findings may not represent emerging approaches or approaches that are more broadly promising.

With those limitations in mind, the evidence and analysis support several conclusions. First, enhanced leadership support for student mental health services and the use of structured frameworks to guide decisionmaking and implementation can improve outcomes. Likewise, data-driven decisionmaking and cross-disciplinary collaboration to support planning and implementation efforts are likely to benefit student mental health programs.

The research team's findings also highlight the need for continued investment in large-scale and rigorous evaluations on system- and campus-level efforts to identify effective and scalable programs and to address major gaps in our understanding of student mental health supports at community colleges.

This report is part of the RAND research brief series. RAND research briefs present policy-oriented summaries of individual published, peer-reviewed documents or of a body of published work.

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How Community Colleges Can Support Student Mental Health Needs

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This report is a descriptive study of eight community colleges at the forefront of implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health, as well as key facilitators for and barriers to their success.

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The Department of Counseling is one program on multiple campuses. We offer a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree. The M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree includes academic coursework that satisfies both core content areas and clinical experience requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas and complies with our CACREP accreditation. Students interested in becoming a school counselor can take coursework and complete school field experiences to be eligible to take the TExES school certification test.

Mission Statement

The Department of Counseling seeks to prepare professional counselors who have developed sound counseling skills through a diversity of experiential learning, acquired a comprehensive theoretical knowledge base, and developed a strong professional counselor identity. The Department's intent is for graduates to be moral and ethical thinkers, culturally competent professionals, scholars, and leaders who demonstrate civility and integrity, while contributing meaningfully and responsibly to the counseling profession.

Vision Statement

The Department of Counseling seeks local, state, regional, national, and international prominence as a collaborative and transformative community engaged in exemplary research, education, and service that benefit the profession of counseling and the public it serves.

Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Curriculum Objectives

The CMHC curriculum is based on objectives that provide students with a structured sequence of curricular and clinical experiences reflecting the present and projected needs of a pluralistic society for which specialized counseling and human development activities have been developed. The objectives are consistent with state licensing/certification and national educational requirements of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The stated objectives are evidenced in course objectives and assignments embedded in course syllabi. These objectives reflect input from the Department faculty, Advisory Board, and former students of the Department.

The CMHC curriculum is organized around the following set of objectives:

1. Professional Identity: Students will demonstrate an understanding of professional functioning including history, roles, technological competence, organizations, credentialing, advocacy process, and ethical standards in professional counseling.

2. Social and Cultural Diversity: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the cultural context of relationships, issues, and trends in a multicultural and diverse society as they relate to factors such as age, ethnicity, nationality, culture, gender, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, education, family values, spiritual values, socioeconomic status, and other unique characteristics.

3. Human Growth and Development: Students will demonstrate an understanding of individuals at all developmental levels, including theories of development across the life span, theories of learning and personality development, human behavior including environmental factors effecting both normal and abnormal behavior, ethical and legal considerations, and strategies for facilitating development over the life span.

4. Career Development: Students will demonstrate an understanding of career development and related life factors including theories and developmental modes, career development program planning, educational and occupation information as well as computer-based career information systems, diversity issues in career development, career planning, placement and evaluation including assessment instruments, ethical and legal considerations, and career counseling techniques.

5. Helping Relationships: Students will demonstrate an understanding of counseling and consultation processes including basic interviewing and counseling skills as well as knowledge and application of counseling theories. An understanding of family and other systems theories in family assessment and counseling is included. Other helping considerations include knowledge of self, consultation and ethical and legal considerations.

6. Group Work: Students will demonstrate an understanding of group development, dynamics, counseling theories, group counseling methods, and skills and other group work approaches.

7. Assessment: The program will expect the student to demonstrate an understanding of individual and group approaches to assessment and evaluation.

8. Research and Program Evaluation: Students will demonstrate an understanding of research, statistical analysis, needs assessment, and program evaluation.

Admissions Procedure (Two-Step Process)

Step 1: Apply to College of Graduate Studies

*Admission to the College of Graduate Studies does not automatically admit you in the M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree program *

1. Complete and submit the College of Graduate Studies Application. Link below: https://www.tarleton.edu/graduate/future/masters/#application

2. Submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate academic coursework must have a cumulative GPA 2.75 or higher; and 3.0 GPA or higher on last sixty (60) hours of undergraduate or masters course work.

3. All documents listed above must be submitted and processed by:

1. Priority Deadline is December 1

2. Regular Deadline is April 1

4. College of Graduate Studies will process your documents and application. Once you have been admitted by COGS, the Department of Counseling will reach out via email with information regarding the interview process.

Step 2: Department of Counseling - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program

1. Participate in Interview process

2. If accepted into Program, attend Program Orientation (Mandatory)

3. Complete Department of Counseling program application

4. Students will be charged a $ 50.00 program fee after the first day of class

Admissions Interviews

The following discusses the Program admission interview process:

1. The Department must receive an admittance notice for the applicant from the College of Graduate Studies

2. The applicant will be scheduled for an interview. All applicants must attend and participate in the interview process in person.

Interview Process

The following outlines the Interview process for the Department:

1. Applicants meet with one or two faculty members for an individual interview

2. Applicants will participate in a group exercise with other potential students

3. An Applicant must meet the Program standards for admission

4. All applicants are notified of status after interviews are completed for all campuses. This usually is within two weeks after the interview process.

5. If an applicant is denied to move further in the process, they may reapply for the next semester the program accepts applicants.

6. If an applicant is placed on the waitlist, applicant will be notified before the first day of the Fall semester of status. Please note: waitlist does not mean acceptance into the program.

Accepted from Interviews

Applicants are accepted for pre-admission to the Department of Counseling for the fall semester. Applicants are permitted to enroll in six hours or nine hours their first semester. For students taking six hours, they will enroll in CNSL 5350 Foundations of Counseling and CNSL 5353 Counseling Theories and Applications. Students taking nine hours will enroll in CNSL 5350 Foundations of Counseling, CNSL 5353 Counseling Theories and Applications, and CNSL 5351 Career Counseling. This is a year-round program requiring students to attend classes in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

Mandatory Program Orientation

Applicants must attend the mandatory Program Orientation prior to the beginning of the Fall semester. It is important for our new students to understand all the components of the CMHC Program Student Handbook. If you have a university excused absence the day of the Program Orientation, you will need to get approval from the department head, provide documentation, and make up the program orientation before the start of the Fall semester. Otherwise, if an applicant does not attend the Program Orientation, then they will be asked to unenroll in Fall courses.

Professional School Counselor Option

It is the student's responsibility to contact the Department's School Counseling Coordinator, Dr. Chris Wilder, to discuss the requirements for the School Counseling Certification. Dr. Wilder's contact information is WILDER@tarleton.edu and/or 254-299-8321. See the School Counseling Handbook on the Department webpage for more information.

​Applicants with History of Felony or Misdemeanor Convictions

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Requirements:

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The Department of Counseling is one program on multiple campuses. We offer a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree. The M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling degree includes academic coursework that satisfies both core content areas and clinical experience requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas and complies with our CACREP accreditation.

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Welcome

We are delighted that you are considering the Tarleton State University School of Nursing as your choice for beginning or advancing your nursing career.

Our mission is to provide student-focused, academically, and clinically challenging programs that engage students in acquiring evidence-based, value-driven knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional nursing careers, responsible citizenship, and leadership.

The Tarleton State University School of Nursing offers two nursing degree programs:

Program Accreditation & Approval

Public Notice of CCNE Accreditation Visit and Invitation for Third-Party Comments

Tarleton State University's nursing program will host an accreditation visit by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) from November 15-17, 2023. This visit seeks continuation of its CCNE accreditation for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

As required by the CCNE procedures, at least two months before the scheduled evaluation, Tarleton State University must notify its constituents, including, at a minimum, faculty teaching and students enrolled in the program(s) under review, that an accreditation review is scheduled. CCNE will receive third-party comments until 21 days before the scheduled evaluation, which is October 25, 2023.

Under CCNE's procedures, the Commission provides the opportunity for program constituents and other interested parties to submit, in writing, third-party comments concerning a program's qualifications for accreditation. All third-party comments submitted to CCNE must be written in English, consistent with CCNE's policy on Conduct of Business in English.
Direct all comments to [email protected] .

CCNE shares third-party comments with members of the evaluation team before the visit, but at no time during the review process are these comments shared with the program. During its review of the program, the evaluation team considers third-party comments related to the accreditation standards.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master's degree program in nursing/ at Tarleton State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ( http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

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We are delighted that you are considering the Tarleton State University School of Nursing as your choice for beginning or advancing your nursing career. Our mission is to provide student-focused, academically, and clinically challenging programs that engage students in acquiring evidence-based, value-driven knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for professional nursing careers, responsible citizenship, and leadership.