Checklists of Questions for Colleges

In this information age of increasingly educated consumers, parents can speak with their checkbooks and choose schools that provide the best balance for the psychological needs of their children. Use your consumer power to choose schools that give parity to mental health issues and continue to push for adequate mental health resources in the school you select.

When your child is applying to college, make an effort to attend the college open houses offered to prospective students, and look for signs that mental health is an issue the school takes seriously. Is there a booth set up by the counseling center where you can talk to someone? Among the many handouts offered, is there information about counseling services, student health services, and student issues such as time management and stress management?

As you continue to investigate each school, use this list of questions to help you evaluate the resources and activities that help ease the stress of the college years:

• What kind of freshman orientation does the  school have?
• Is there a structured way in which students can  meet peers?
• How do students choose roommates? How are roommate disputes handled?
• Are there social activities for students on the  weekends, or does the campus empty out?
• What tutoring resources are available if a student is having learning difficulties in a particular subject?
• How do students get academic advisement for choosing courses and a major?
• Does the school provide resources for student wellness: workshops for dealing with stress, or recognizing depression, or handling eating concerns?
• Does the school's Web site have links for information about mental health?

If your son or daughter is in recovery from a drug or alcohol problem, you should ask questions about how prospective schools support students in this situation. At Rutgers University in New Jersey, nearly two dozen students in recovery live together and help one another stay sober. Augsburg College in Minnesota, Dana College in Nebraska, and Texas Tech University all have organized support programs in place. The University of Texas at Austin has a Center for Students in Recovery, which offers a support system along with a three-credit academic course titled "Complete Recovery 101." You can get more information about programs like these through the Association of Recovery Schools at www.recoveryschools.org.

Once your child has zeroed in on a school (or is down to the final cut), it's time to make direct inquiries. To start, call the school's main number and ask for the school counseling service. Tell the person who answers the phone that you have a number of questions about the school's counseling program and would like to be connected with a person who can answer them.

This simple phone call will give you some insight into the workings of the counseling center. If you get voice mail, or the run-around, or an uninformed person, you'll know that this is the kind of response your child will get if he or she ever needs these services.

If your child has a diagnosed mental health disorder, it is very important for you to evaluate the college's counseling services. If you do this when looking for a college, this information will help you and your child choose a place that will give proper support and services. If your child is already in college and has a diagnosed disorder, these are questions you should ask so that you will know what services your child can and cannot count on. If you know the school has limited counseling services, for example, you'll understand that you need to find a psychiatrist in the surrounding town or make arrangements to bring your child home on a regular basis for follow up with her home-town physician. The goal is to be prepared. As some say, it is best to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

When you do talk to someone from the school's counseling center, these are some questions you might ask:

• What are the counseling resources? Is there a separate fee for using them?
• Are there limits on the number of counseling sessions per student?
• Is there a psychiatrist available to prescribe medication if necessary?
• What is the staff-to-student ratio for counselors? (The national average is 1 per 1,574.)
• How long is the waiting list in November and March (when typically counseling centers are busiest)?
• Does the school have an infirmary where students who need brief or extended care can stay when hospitalization isn't required?
• Who should a student call if there is an emergency in the dormitory?
• Can my child's medication be monitored, and is there a separate cost for that?
• In what circumstances would a student be referred  to a health provider or hospital outside the college community?
• What local facilities does the college refer students to?
• What kinds of mental health services outside the college community will the school insurance cover? (Be sure to check with your own provider also. Your child may need to come home to see a participating provider.)
• Have the faculty, staff, and residential staff been trained to identify and properly refer students struggling with mental health issues?
• How does a student contact the counseling service center to make an appointment?
• What are your guidelines on confidentiality? Under what circumstances would I be contacted?

If your child has no history of mental health problems, you might feel awkward asking these questions, both when searching for a college and once your child has landed in a chosen school. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to mental health disorders, and I know that parents worry that if they ask me about our counseling services, I will assume their child has psychological problems and this will send up a red flag marking their child as a high-risk student. They also worry that this misinformation will somehow get back to professors, coaches, or friends and label the child as a potential "whacko."

I understand why they feel this way, and I know that it keeps many parents from getting the information they should have. There are two things to keep in mind if you have these concerns. First, there are very strict confidentiality laws that prohibit every licensed mental health counselor from talking to anyone about a particular student. They cannot call professors, resident directors, or coaches and tell them to watch out for Johnny because he may be having some emotional problems. Without the student's written permission, all information is confidential. Second, if this does not ease your concern, remember that you do not have to identify yourself to get information. You can call as "Mrs. Smith" and ask these very general questions.

It is vital to have this information at hand in the event of a crisis. When your child calls in a panic with no idea where to turn or what to do, you'll be glad you've gathered this information in advance and know who to turn to.

Be Prepared

Keep these emergency phone numbers with you, and give a copy to your child to keep in his or her wallet:

• College health care center
• College counseling center
• College resident director
• College dean of freshmen students (or for an upperclassman, the dean of students)
• Campus police
• Local city police
• After-hours emergency contact