In an effort to better understand the experiences of students at the University of Michigan (U-M) with mental health services, we conducted an online survey. This survey focused specifically on interactions with the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
Our Approach and Challenges
Our survey included a range of questions about different mental health services available at U-M and in the community, such as in-person counseling, teletherapy, AI-based mental health bots, and self-guided mental health applications. A particular focus was placed on CAPS’ recently introduced teletherapy partner, Uwill. Additionally, we gained insights from survey participants on recommendations for other students seeking mental health services. However, it is important to acknowledge certain limitations we encountered conducting this survey. The total number of responses we received was very small, with only eleven participants. This limitation was primarily due to a contained timeline for the survey and its distribution coinciding with the busy final weeks of the semester.
Valuable Insights Despite Limitations
Despite the limited number of responses, the feedback we received provides valuable insights into the student body’s experiences and perceptions of mental health services at U-M. Each response serves as a critical piece of the larger puzzle in understanding the mental health landscape at U-M.
Quotes from our Respondents
Given the small size of our response pool, we placed a greater emphasis on the qualitative individual feedback from our participants. Following are some key quotes from their responses, shared with their consent. We would like to thank every respondent who volunteered to participate in this survey.
- Personal Experiences with U-M CAPS
- I felt like the initial consultation was used to determine whether or not I was actually allowed to use their services; when they determined I would need care for issues not directly related to school, and that I had insurance, they seemed to really push me to use their service just as a means to get an independent provider. I later used their crisis hotline, and spent most of the phone call giving them my student information instead of discussing why I had called. At the end of the call, they told me to call the main office in the morning and that they would leave a note to, it seemed to me at the time, schedule me for a more immediate counseling appointment. When I called back in the morning, I was told to use the website booking services, and wait 2-3 weeks like everyone else.
- I just had an initial consultation appointment with a counselor and she recommended me to seek therapy service elsewhere since my insurance had a fairly good mental health benefit ($20 co-pay). She described how to use Psychology Today and followed up with me a month later asking if I had found a therapist.
- Does CAPS feel accessible to you?
- No – I feel like even just getting an appointment is difficult, not to mention that the services, at least in my experience, don’t seem to do very much. When you need help or are in crisis, waiting 2 weeks to speak to somebody about STARTING to get help isn’t really “accessible” in my mind.
- No – My friends who have used it said it took so long to get in that by the time they got there, they had already gotten to other resources or just barreled through the issue. Also, since I have OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), some therapists may encourage “checking” without knowing it.
- Somewhat: CAPS is a good service, but some of the people working there could learn about being welcoming and inclusive. Additionally, folks have different needs, and some services are offered only for a specific amount of time, limiting one’s needs (ex: “counseling” 3-4 times per semester). Some students need more support than that, and it could be adjusted.
- How satisfied are you with the mental health services you received (from any providers and in any forms)?
- I really love my therapist, though the teletherapy platform itself can be a bit difficult to work with sometimes. I’ve tried self-guided apps before as well, and sometimes still turn to them in moments of extreme stress when they’re my only available outlet, but for the most part their ability to sooth/comfort feels limited to me. (I can see how they could work better for others, though.)
- I have had the same therapist for a long time. So when we moved to telehealth, it was okay because we already had a relationship established.
- Mental health therapy does have much effect on me in general…regardless of the format
Advice from our Respondents:
- I would say absolutely go to CAPS if that’s the only resource you have available to you; I was told they can make exceptions for those who don’t have the ability to seek help elsewhere, and your experience might be better than mine was. Especially if the source of your mental health issues is school and/or likely won’t take more than a few sessions to help resolve, those kinds of problems seem to be what CAPS is really designed for, and I can see it being really effective at solving some of those issues (though I don’t have personal experience with this, so I can’t say for sure). If your concerns run deeper than that, though, and you have insurance/the ability to seek private care, I might consider skipping the CAPS step and looking directly at Psychology Today to start finding a private provider, as this is (at least in my experience) probably what CAPS will advise you to do anyway. If you still have questions about that process, though, CAPS was a good resource for me in answering those.
- I hope CAPS and UofM as a whole moved towards offering neuropsych testing, especially for people who are likely to be diagnosed later in life (women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, low socioeconomic status), as many of our health insurances do not cover this testing past 18.
- MARI (Marry A. Rackham Institute) may be a good place for students who are seeking therapy services. They accept a wide range of insurances and currently have a short wait time for individual therapy. They also do neuropsychological testing but the wait time is super long (more than 1 yr).
Conclusions and Suggestions:
General tips for students who are seeking professional mental health support:
- The first step may be identifying what your concerns and goals are + checking the mental health benefits of your insurance
- If your concerns are school related or need a short-term therapy service → CAPS may be a good start point
- If you need a longer-term mental health service and your insurance has relatively good mental health benefits → may consider skipping CAPS and find a therapist outside of school. Many students in this kind of situations are recommended by CAPS counselors to reach out to external providers at the initial consultation appointment.
- Special note about Uwill, the external teletherapy partner of CAPS: None of our survey respondents had heard of Uwill, and there appears to be limited user experience shared online. For those who are new to teletherapy or seeking a short-term solution, we recommend visiting the CAPS website to read more about Uwill and consider trying out the service. The process of registering an account is straightforward, and appointments can be scheduled with minimal wait time.
Featured Image Source: Chanelle Nibbelink/CalMatters, accessed through https://www.kqed.org/news/11924980/why-california-is-facing-a-mental-health-care-worker-shortage
