CAPs and College

Time flies. Young people grow up and are off to college. It's exciting. Yet even for the most well-adjusted student, it is fraught with uncertainty. It is a time of tension. Young people take on greater academic responsibility, are more independent in tasks of daily living, must navigate mature relationships, and must take charge of their own health care. In years past, transitional age youth with mental illness may have had inadequately controlled symptoms, functional impairment, or faced stigma preventing them from going to a college or university. Their academic paths and career options were limited. Changing attitudes and improvements in identifying mental health conditions have allowed an increasing number of young people to access appropriate treatment, and this has led to improvements in educational achievement. However, although students with mental illness may enjoy improved access to college, they struggle more than others when making the transition. Stress can exacerbate symptoms and make attending class regularly or completing projects difficult.²