A spring 2013 American College Health Association study revealed that 30 percent of students responded as feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function" at some point in the past 12 months.

I wanted to explore the options students have at Central Michigan University when seeking to help treat and prevent mental illness – and what I found out was troubling.

While there are numerous resources for students to receive short-term care, few resources are available for students seeking care on a regular basis.

Short-term services are available at the counseling center in Foust Hall, and students might also receive care from a counselor in their residential area. Listening Ear, a crisis line located in town, is also available 24-7 by phone.

While these resources are impressive and show the devotion CMU has for student health, there is a large number of students who go without care.

There are plenty of counseling options in the city of Mount Pleasant, however, these services are often too expensive for a college budget.

Although the Affordable Care Act granted students the ability to stay on their parents’ insurance plan until the age of 26, concern for confidentiality might deter students from seeking treatment.

After speaking with a representative from Planned Parenthood, I confirmed my suspicion about confidentiality rules. The representative clarified that when a student is a dependent under a parent or guardian’s insurance plan, the insurance bill will specifically list the services received.

For students who do not wish to disclose their mental health status, they would have to pay out-of-pocket for long-term therapy, which tends to be expensive.

A simple Google search of “mental health 48858” led me to several potential sources of treatment. However, many dialed to broken phone numbers or closed businesses.

Is this really the state of mental health in our area?

CMU students account for more than 40 percent of the Mount Pleasant population. So where are the adequate resources for those of us who need long-term care?

I have experienced anxiety and depression, and I feel abandoned by my university and my city.

Counseling can be provided for students who only need short-term care or for students who do not have a problem with parental disclosure – but what about those students who do not fit either category?

We contribute to this university and city for four years or longer, and yet when we ask for a service in return, we are left with unanswered questions and disconnected phone lines.

The mission statement for the university includes CMU as “a national leader in higher education inspiring excellence and innovation.” By failing students with no adequate health treatment, CMU is failing the mission of the university itself.

Although I love CMU and the opportunities offered, I am deeply concerned about how students can access the mental care they need.

No one can be their best if they are sick. For a school that emphasizes the slogan, “Take Care" – it seems that there are many of us who just get lost in the crowd.