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SPRINGFIELD — College policies regarding mentally ill students have come under fire in the wake of the Arizona supermarket shooting in which six people died and 13 others, including a United States congresswoman, were wounded.
Alleged gunman Jared Laughner reportedly showed violent and disturbed tendencies while attending Pima Community College near the city of Tucson, calling into question how colleges handle students in need of psychiatric treatment.
Providing mental and behavioral health services at a community college does present some challenges not seen at four-year institutions, said Ed Busher, Clark State Community College dean of student affairs and enrollment.
“One of the things we talk about is our transient nature,” he said. “We don’t know the prior issues (of students).”
An open enrollment college such as Clark State deals with all kinds of students, some who may have criminal backgrounds or mental health issues, Busher said.
Last year, the college added a part-time counselor and created a behavioral intervention team that includes Busher and other faculty and staff, reminiscent of campus threat teams adopted by colleges nationwide after the Virginia Tech massacre, according to the New York Times.
“What we saw as important is that people are communicating and are able to connect the dots,” Busher said. “Counselors are not working in isolation, we have a Springfield police representative on (the behavioral intervention team) and student affairs staff to make sure all the bases are covered.”
The intervention team tries to meet weekly to discuss student cases and investigations, and have a process so faculty can refer students who need help, Busher said. Students can also make appointments or walk in to see the counselor.
Clark State is not fully equipped to handle long-term treatment, and refer students to community agencies if needed, Busher added.
Since its inception, the behavioral intervention team has had more than 40 referrals, Busher said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371.
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