The "peak years for the onset of both depression and bipolar disorder" are between the ages of 15 and 24, and "the rate of students reporting...being diagnosed with depression" has increased from "10 percent in spring 2000 to 16 percent in spring 2005." According to a study released this summer by the University of Michigan School of Public Health, nearly "10 percent of students surveyed...reported receiving psychological therapy, and the same percentage regularly took some type of psychotropic drug."

Krislov urges institutes of higher education to "launch a public awareness campaign...that would examine the privacy issues involved with improving communication among students, parents, and campus officials." Noting that "[h]igher education can exacerbate a student's mental health issues," Krislov urges "parents of students with mental health concerns" to ensure "continuity of care" before the students arrive on campus. Finally, he advises parents to "tell the institution about their child's mental health issues."

Related Link:

- "Mental illness on campus: A quiet danger no longer," Martin Krislov, USA Today, December 20, 2007.