CAPS arrives at Blanding Campus
Amid soaring stress levels and mental health distress among college students, a new Counseling and Psychological Services office has opened at Utah State University’s Blanding campus.
All USU students who live within Utah are eligible for CAPS mental health services. All USU students who live within Utah are eligible for CAPS mental health services. According to their website, most services are free, confidential and not included on academic or university records.
According to a December 2023 study from Access Across America, only 33.5% of adults in Utah who were diagnosed with a mental health disorder received specialty care in 2021.
CAPS strives to minimize this issue for all USU students, including those attending statewide.
Justin Barker, a psychologist with statewide campuses, said the decision to introduce a CAPS office at Blanding came as a result of increasing need for mental health resources for students.
“We’ve had lots of demand for our mental health services, and there’s become a greater focus on making sure that we provide this support,” Barker said.
Priscilla Arungwa, director of students at Blanding, believes the availability of face-to-face services is instrumental in supporting students.
“Over 70% of our students identify as Native American and prefer in-person counseling, although they are also open to virtual sessions,” Arungwa wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman.
Barker hopes to make strong connections with the students.
“We’re really striving to find a therapist who is Native American or who has training or experience working with Native American students so that we can accommodate those needs,” Barker said.
Arungwa believes that the addition of a therapist on campus fosters a strong sense of trust and community among our students.
“By offering on-campus mental health services, we demonstrate our commitment to our students’ holistic well-being, encompassing both academic and personal success,” Arungwa wrote.
Many of the students who attend the Blanding campus are non-traditional and have additional stressors that impact their lives and education. According to Barker, mental health services can be an incredible support in these cases.
“We have data that supports the idea that our statewide students tend to have poor mental health because of all the demands that they have on them,” Barker said. “But I feel like we’ve been able to help a lot of students accomplish their goals of getting their degree.”
Arungwa agreed that therapy can be crucial to the success of many students.
“As anyone who has sought therapy knows, sometimes just one or two sessions can make a significant difference,” Arungwa wrote.
Currently, services at Blanding are provided by statewide employees, but CAPS recently got funding for and is in the process of hiring a dedicated therapist for the campus.
“Our Blanding person will provide services to everyone down in that area,” Barker said. “We often get referrals, but sometimes those referrals don’t follow through because they would prefer to meet with somebody in person.”
CAPS typically provides short-term, goal-oriented therapy. The counseling services at Blanding are staffed by licensed professionals trained to address stress management, anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties.
“We offer a diverse range of mental health services, both in-person and virtual, tailored specifically to address the needs of students,” Arungwa wrote.
Topics include suicidal ideations, relationship breakups, family trauma or disagreements and counseling for alcohol and drug abuse, as well as support for students coping with past traumas.