National Depression Screening Day and World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10 will offer people a chance to reflect on their mental health and learn about available resources.
They provide opportunities to learn about and discuss mental health, including the widespread impact of clinical depression, a medical illness affecting an estimated 1 in 5 American adults during their lifetime. They also are reminders of the importance of mental and emotional health for overall wellness.
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Education, resources and conversations about mental health can help decrease negative stigmas and create more supportive environments for mental health and well-being.
“Stress, sadness, mood swings and anxiety can be part of the normal ups and downs of life,” said Kelcey Stratton, U-M’s chief behavioral health strategist and assistant professor of psychiatry in the Medical School. “When these feelings become pervasive and prolonged or begin to affect your work or personal life, an online screening can be a good first step in finding support.”
Screenings and resources
Confidential online mental health screenings are available at any time for all members of the university community. The questions in the screening only take about 10 minutes to complete and relate to depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns. Screenings are a good way for a person to check in with their mood and thoughts, and receive immediate results and suggestions for additional support if needed.
Faculty and staff can complete confidential, anonymous online mental health screenings at screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/UMICHIGAN. Counseling and Psychological Services provides confidential, anonymous online mental health screenings for students at screening.mentalhealthscreening.org/goblue.
The Eisenberg Family Depression Center’s online toolkit provides information, tools, support and resources to guide individuals through their mental health journey. It can be accessed at depressioncenter.org/outreach-education/depression-center-toolkit, and offers help to family members and caregivers of those who experience mood disorders and all people who wish to better understand depression and bipolar disorder.
Counseling services
Confidential short-term counseling is available to university faculty, staff and students at no charge.
- Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campus employees can call the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office at 734-936-8660, email [email protected] or go to fascco.umich.edu.
- Michigan Medicine employees can call the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience at 734-763-5409, email [email protected] or go to counseling.med.umich.edu.
- Students can call CAPS at 734-764-8312 or go to caps.umich.edu.
- For longer-term care and for the general public, the Mary A. Rackham Institute Psychological Clinic and University Center for the Child and Family provide long-term and short-term individual therapy, group therapy, couples counseling, family therapy and more. It is a fee-for-service clinic that accepts some insurance plans. University affiliation is not required. For more information go to mari.umich.edu.
All U-M health plans cover mental and behavioral health services like counseling, therapy and substance-abuse treatment. For help finding a provider, people should consult their doctor or their health plan. U-M health plan information is online.
