On the recordMarch 15, 2016
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: S. 2685 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) The 2014 Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors Survey found that the average ratio of counselors to students on campus is nearly 1 to 1,833 and is often far higher on large campuses. The International Association of Counseling Services accreditation standards recommends 1 counselor per 1,000 to 1,500 students. (2) College counselors report that 10 percent of enrolled students sought counseling in 2014. (3) More than 90 percent of counseling directors believe there is an increase in the number of students coming to campus with severe psychological problems; today, 44 percent of the students who visit campus counseling centers are dealing with severe mental illness, up from 16 percent in 2000, and 24 percent are on psychiatric medication, up from 17 percent in 2000. (4) The majority of campus counseling directors report that the demand for services and the severity of student needs are growing without an increase in resources. (5) Many students who need help never receive it.…
