College Student Committee

GAP College Student Committee Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the College Student Committee of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry is to explore the biopsychosocial and academic developmental trajectories of transitional-age youth enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education, communicate the insights gained to mental health colleagues and the public at large, and advocate for resources for the students' growing psychiatric needs.

The committee's work is guided by the following principles:

1. The proportion of young adults enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education in the US constitutes a significant patient cohort with their very own health care needs. In 2023 there were about 18.66 million college students (Hanson, 2023).

2. This patient cohort is heterogeneous, highly mobile, vulnerable to the onset of psychiatric illness, subject to the social and economic stressors of their families and communities of origin, and confronted with market forces beyond their control.

3. Psychiatrists who are serving these young adults are cognizant of the students' rapidly changing healthcare needs, are grounded by community mental health approaches and prepared to adjust assessment and treatment interventions accordingly.

4. The College Student Committee members will base their recommendations on evidence-based large scale public health studies, but also leverage the unique clinical insights gained in the work with individual students.

References:
Hanson, Melanie. “College Enrollment & Student Demographic Statistics”
Education Data.org, October 1, 2023,
https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics