YSU targets students’ mental health

By Denise Dick | October 25, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in Ohioans age 15 to 34, and Youngstown State University plans to hire a director of counseling to help address the issue.

The former counseling director retired, leaving only one counselor for the campus.

A recent visit from an accreditation panel gave the university high marks for its program that allows students to become counselors, but President Jim Tressel says YSU needs to beef up its ranks of counselors on campus.

“We’re low compared to other institutions,” Tressel said.

A search is underway for a new counseling director.

YSU is exploring other ways to help students navigate some of the emotional issues they encounter. They face pressures from financial to academic to social, personal and familial.

A new law requires state colleges and universities to provide suicide-prevention programs including crisis intervention and mental-health access, a student communication plan and online resources for suicide prevention. The law was proposed by state Rep. Marlene Anielski of Walton Hills, R-6th, whose son committed suicide in 2010 while a high-school senior.

Mike Reagle, associate vice president for student services, said the university is working on a first-year experience course to help address some of that. He hopes it will be available in the fall.

Tressel said university officials also are working on a new website that will include a way for students to inform appropriate personnel if they believe another individual may need help.

“Those who are in therapy and talking to someone aren’t usually the ones that try to commit suicide,” Reagle said.

Those individuals have an outlet and have learned to talk about their problems rather than keeping them hidden, he said.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that twice as many die by suicide as by homicide.

But suicide doesn’t get the same public attention.

Tressel acknowledged a stigma that accompanies suicide. Silence further complicates the issue.