The study of the present state and issues to support students who have mental health needs─Interviews of pioneering university support offices for students with disabilities─

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  • 精神的課題のある学生支援の現状と課題─障害学生修学支援ネットワーク拠点校へのインタビュー調査から─
  • セイシンテキ カダイ ノ アル ガクセイ シエン ノ ゲンジョウ ト カダイ : ショウガイ ガクセイ シュウガク シエン ネットワーク キョテンコウ エ ノ インタビュー チョウサ カラ

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With the enforcement of the Disability Discrimination Act in 2016, the number of students with disabilities has increased rapidly. Although many universities are in the process of creating academic support systems for them、 the support systems for students with mental health problems have not made much progress. We interviewed several university support centers’ staffs who work at the base schools of Network for Academic Support for Students with Physical and Mental Health challenges. This article examines the needs and required supports for those students who have mental health issues from the content of the interviews. Students with mental health needs applied for reasonable accommodation often encouraged by counselors, then staffs at support centers communicate well with them and understand the unique needs of individuals and coordinate to meet those needs without too much burdens for teachers and staffs. In addition, in order to promote understanding and improve responsiveness for students with special needs within the university, staffs of support centers explain and distribute guidebooks about support for students who have special needs at Faculty Development workshops or workshops for new employees. It would be the future task to secure the required number of dedicated staffs who works for support centers since more students who have mental health issues are enrolling in universities and to promote the understanding for university staffs the importance of creating a friendly environment for those students challenged to learn and to spend their university life. Although, it is very important that students who have mental health needs go to mental health clinic or get professional help, it would be also more important that universities create a flexible educational system based on diversity and understanding of mental illness.

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