Clinic helps battle mental disorders
Erin McCarthy
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
Mary Margaret Harris, director of Beu Health Center, believes that Western provides the best services available, considering the limited resources.
"I don't think it's a secret that being in a rural area, having adequate psychiatric care is always a challenge," Harris said. "I have no doubt that there are people that go along under the radar for various reasons, but I do know that between the counseling center, the Psychology Clinic and the AOD center, students are offered a variety of services, and they simply need to seek them out."
The Alcohol and Other Drugs Resource Center, a division of Beu Health Center, has been serving Western students since 2002. According to Harris, it is the only state licensed facility for level one treatment for alcohol and other drugs that is owned and operated on a university campus.
"That's significant for us because students can receive those services and not have their academic career disrupted as much as if they had to seek those services out in the community or further away," Harris said. "Some students self-refer or they might have a friend that has an issue, and we're fortunate to have a service to offer them for those problems."
If students experience problems after hours, the McDonough District Hospital is also available to provide assistance.
According to Harris, all of the various services refer back and forth between each other in order to keep up-to-date with issues facing the community.
"We work well together," Harris said. "We want to know how we can make sure a student or client may have a seamless continuity of care, and also whether someone needs more services than we are equipped to handle, just so that can go as smooth as possible."
Tim Jenkins, senior communications major, has utilized Western's psychological services on various occasions and found them to be very helpful.
"They are great people to talk to whether you're having a good day or a bad day," Jenkins said. "Specifically, I have seen them when I have had family or friends pass away, and they were great to help me get through it."
For more information on psychologists or counselors on campus, contact the University Counseling Center at 309/298-2453 or the Psychology Clinic at 309/298-1919.
"I don't think it's a secret that being in a rural area, having adequate psychiatric care is always a challenge," Harris said. "I have no doubt that there are people that go along under the radar for various reasons, but I do know that between the counseling center, the Psychology Clinic and the AOD center, students are offered a variety of services, and they simply need to seek them out."
The Alcohol and Other Drugs Resource Center, a division of Beu Health Center, has been serving Western students since 2002. According to Harris, it is the only state licensed facility for level one treatment for alcohol and other drugs that is owned and operated on a university campus.
"That's significant for us because students can receive those services and not have their academic career disrupted as much as if they had to seek those services out in the community or further away," Harris said. "Some students self-refer or they might have a friend that has an issue, and we're fortunate to have a service to offer them for those problems."
If students experience problems after hours, the McDonough District Hospital is also available to provide assistance.
According to Harris, all of the various services refer back and forth between each other in order to keep up-to-date with issues facing the community.
"We work well together," Harris said. "We want to know how we can make sure a student or client may have a seamless continuity of care, and also whether someone needs more services than we are equipped to handle, just so that can go as smooth as possible."
Tim Jenkins, senior communications major, has utilized Western's psychological services on various occasions and found them to be very helpful.
"They are great people to talk to whether you're having a good day or a bad day," Jenkins said. "Specifically, I have seen them when I have had family or friends pass away, and they were great to help me get through it."
For more information on psychologists or counselors on campus, contact the University Counseling Center at 309/298-2453 or the Psychology Clinic at 309/298-1919.
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