Maytinee Kramer/Staff Writer
For over thirty years, the FIU Student Health Center has been specializing in student health, assisting students to maintain and improve their health in order so that they may pursue their education and graduate successfully. Good health is essential to students’ success while at the university and throughout their life, which is why FIU Student Health Services (SHS) is committed to providing Panthers with quality health services, which will allow them to thrive both academically and personally.
The American College Health Association shows that today’s college students are facing a mental health crisis as evidence suggests greater levels of stress and psychopathology. Media reports of emotional distress, suicide, and acts of violence related to mental illness (most notably the tragedy at Virginia Tech) on college campuses have alerted the seriousness of this growing crisis.
According to the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors survey of counseling center directors, 95 percent of college counseling center directors surveyed said the number of students with significant psychological problems is a growing concern on campus. Yet 50 percent received no education on mental health issues prior to college.
Because good health is essential to students’ success, FIU’s Counseling and Psychological Services makes it a goal to aid students struggling with anxiety and mental health. CAPS offers a number of specialized services such as psychotherapy and a de-stressing clinic for the mind. These services can help facilitate and enhance students’ personal learning, emotional well-being and academic skills development.
In addition to students dealing with mental health issues, more and more students with disabilities are continuing their education. A person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, seeing, hearing, etc.
For students with a disability, it is necessary to be well informed about rights and responsibilities as well as the responsibilities FIU has towards the students. By informing the university of one’s disability and taking the necessary steps towards making the academic adjustment comfortable and smooth, the disability center will be able to assess one’s needs and properly assist the student. FIU’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) aims at guiding and supporting students with disabilities throughout their college experience, transitioning into FIU to graduating from the university, assisting students in becoming successful in life.
FIU is committed to serving its students, which is why the institution finds it important to provide professional, innovative, state of the art, and accessible health care and wellness services to the FIU student body. Apart from staff working with students, fellow Panthers should help one another so that everyone is receiving the necessary services and support that will allow them to thrive both academically and personally.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of FIU Student Media Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
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