In the article, “New CAPS resources focus on student empowerment,” Penn State news reveals that CAPS has created new resources to help students feel comfortable with who they are. CAPS has created text and call lines and assessments for students online to be treated in a faster way. WellTreck is a wellness assessment that students take to help them understand what activities make them feel better or worse. From this new addition, students can realize the patterns in their life that bring joy as well as stress. Students use WellTreck by themselves or with other counseling. In addition, CAPS provides two crisis lines that are available any day and time. Students are able to speak to someone in the middle of a panic attack or if they are thinking of hurting themselves. Life Hacks is another addition that CAPS has initiated. Life Hacks sessions include group discussion to help students deal with stress and anxiety. These are beneficial because students can understand that they are not the only ones who feel isolated or alone.
Another article that discusses mental health at Penn State, “CAPS Chat program puts counselors where the students are, also emphasizes the importance of mental health and stresses the various resources provided by CAPS. A new program was created in 2016 to place counselors in South Halls where they offer CAPS Chat. CAPS Chat is a safe way to talk with counselors informally and feel supported by the Penn State community. These meetings can discuss topics such as adjusting to college, family problems, stress, anxiety, or academic pressures.
These articles will be beneficial in the deliberation discussion because they discuss the services that CAPS provides. These articles are very informative and allow their readers to recognize the importance of mental health on college campuses. These articles would be beneficial for first year students at Penn State because they discuss the benefits that CAPS offers its students. By knowing about the advantages of CAPS, students will learn that seeking help from CAPS could be very effective.
Works Cited
“CAPS Chat program puts counselors where the students are.” (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2018, http://news.psu.edu/story/423568/2016/08/31/campus-life/caps-chat-program-puts-counselors-where-students-are
Curley, C. (n.d.). “New CAPS resources focus on student empowerment.” Retrieved February 14, 2018, http://news.psu.edu/story/495703/2017/11/27/campus-life/new-caps-resources-focus-student-empowerment