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A research team from the University of Michigan (UM) has begun an 18-month partnership with the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and Career Development Center to help improve its services after a UM study found it fell below standards for client index load. The team aims to improve the treatment capacity for students at Michigan community colleges, and address needs in mental services. Key issues identified include capacity, clarity of roles, and barriers to student access including language, availability, insurance, stigma, knowledge, technology and transportation.
MHICC Partnership to Enhance Mental Services of Grand Rapids Community College
The Mental Health Improvement through Community Colleges (MHICC) research team, led by Principal Investigator Shawna Smith, visited the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) and Career Development Center to address the below-average client index load. In partnership with GRCC for 18 months, they aim to enhance treatment capacity for students and identify needs in its mental services.
The visit entailed meetings with students, faculty, providers, and administrators to get a comprehensive understanding of GRCC’s strengths and weaknesses and subsequently develop an improvement report.
The Challenge of Capacity
According to the 2024 Winter enrollment data, the client index load per provider at the Career Development Center (CCD) is nearly triple the statewide average. This places GRCC among the least-resourced centers in Michigan, emphasizing the urgent need for capacity enhancement.
Improved clarity in role definitions was another area identified for improvement. For instance, students expressed confusion regarding the college’s services. A recent funding approval by the GRCC Board for a new counseling position addresses this issue to some extent, but the state average would require seven counselors.
Revamping Mental Health Services
The Director of the CCD, Melissa Ware, highlighted the importance of not just increasing the number of providers but also collaborating with external organizations. At the rapid analysis, participants shared their views on barriers to student access, including language, availability, insurance, stigma, knowledge, technology, and transportation.
Joel Reyes Hernandez, a sociology student at GRCC, highlighted the need for providers to help more English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students. He pointed out that the language barrier posed a significant challenge for students like him.
The MHICC Team and Ware plan to convene periodically to gather more information and follow up with uncontacted groups. Ware expressed hopes to build partnerships with community organizations to address these challenges effectively.
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