The Campus Crisis

"And there is a whole new generation that is not averse to psychotherapy." The diminishing stigma of mental health problems makes it more socially acceptable to disclose and seek treatment—an attitude today's students will hopefully carry into their post-college life.

It's the last best chance of whole-person care. An ailing health care system has displaced the burden of mental health care onto colleges. In many schools, physical and mental health care are carefully integrated. Morton M. Silverman, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Chicago and director of the National Suicide Prevention Center, sees that as part of the attractiveness of student health centers. "Compared to the real world, college offers more comprehensive health care," says Silverman, formerly head of counseling at Chicago. "Chances are students will not get the same level of care after they graduate."