Nevada may rank as one of the worst states for access to mental health services in the U.S., but UNLV’s Student Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is working to ensure that students are able to receive the care they need.
Over the past two decades, the number of students starting college with a prescription for psychiatric medications has increased. This is due, in part, to growing awareness of mental health challenges and more openness to seeking services.
Shauna K. Landis, licensed psychologist and executive director of CAPS, said, “With better managed symptoms, people can more consistently attend classes, concentrate, study, and complete tasks — things that may have been previously overwhelming or impossible.”
One way CAPS has been meeting the increased demand is by becoming a site for psychiatric resident training for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. CAPS began the psychiatric residency in 2022 with two residents and now has four serving UNLV students.
There are various mental health professionals who are able to provide different methods of treatment, but two that are commonly confused are psychologists and psychiatrists.
Psychologists provide psychotherapy and conduct psychological assessments including diagnostic and neuropsychological evaluations. Psychiatrists complete psychiatric evaluations, prescribe medications, and help patients with medication management. Psychiatrists can also provide psychotherapy. The CAPS psychiatric residents all carry a few therapy cases throughout the year.
In 2024, CAPS saw a total of 2,530 appointments for psychiatry; 1,563 of those appointments were conducted by psychiatry residents. Within the past few years, expanding mental health accessibility on campus has led to an 11% increase in counseling services. At the same time, CAPS has drastically decreased wait time for counseling and psychiatric services.
Landis said, “With the expansion of psychiatric services on campus, UNLV is increasing access to mental health resources to help students pursue and complete their collegiate goals.
Why is psychiatry important on campus?
The 2023-24 Healthy Minds National Study provides a detailed picture of mental health and related issues in college student populations:
- 31% of students have taken psychotropic medication(s) in the past year.
- 50% of students have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder during their lifetime.
- Type of medications taken in the past year
- 20% have taken antidepressants
- 9% have taken anti anxiety medications
- 7% have taken psychostimulants
- 4% have taken sleep medications
- 3% have taken mood stabilizers
- 1% have taken antipsychotic medications
