The topic that I chose to write about for my second data story is Michigan’s mental health system, as well as the University of Michigan – Dearborn’s lack of staff at the counseling center.
The first source that I think is needed for my data story was this article on Michigan’s mental health system. The article talks about the lack of resources for undeserved families who have family members facing mental health issues. Because there is a lack of resources, the House C.A.R.E.S Task Force was created to help improve and strengthen the access of care for anyone who is facing mental health challenges.
A second source that I used was the International Association of Counseling Services (IACS) Standards. This PDF lists the standards for what a University should uphold at their counseling center. I used this information to find the staff per student ratio at the University of Michigan – Dearborn. Using the Campus Safety and Security website, I found out that there is a little over 9,000 students enrolled. The minimum staffing ratio is one Full-time Equivalent (FTE) professional staff member for evert 1,000-1,500. Because there are only four licensed counseling staff, there aren’t enough staff per students enrolled.
The final source that I used is the Financial Reports from 2009-2017 for the University of Michigan – Dearborn. The PDF shows the revenue and expenditures from each campus department, as well as the general funds for the MHealthy Wellness Program.
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