This story called Finding Voice a 120-members organization. While 120 members are on the mailing list, only about 20 actively participate.

This story also incorrectly stated that the CAPS group on mental health was started last week. It was actually started last semester.

If you expect to need University psychological services in the near future, make an appointment today.

Todd Sevig, director of Counseling and Psychological Services, said the current wait for a student's first appointment is three weeks, although the CAPS website estimates only a three -to nine-day wait.

Many similar-sized universities have shorter wait periods. The current wait at Michigan State University and Ohio State University is two weeks, while the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities does not have a wait for its psychological services.

The University's version is busier than most.

"We have been full since the day before classes started," Sevig said.

CAPS, a free service for students, staffs 34 counselors who are available for appointments.

This allows for about one counselor per 1,200 students, and more than meets the standard set for university counseling centers by the International Association of Counseling Services of one per 1,500 students.

MSU does not meet the national standard, with only one counselor per 1,650 students.

Sevig said an increased number of students seeking counseling has been a national trend over the last few years, and that "the interest and demand for the services has been greater than the increase in resources."

But "the reality is that school goes very fast and if you lose a few weeks to illness your whole semester is affected," said Louise Douce, director of OSU's Counseling and Consultation Services.

LSA sophomore Kim Ruelle said the University of Michigan's system is flawed because students are often not seen for weeks.

"A lot could happen in two weeks," Ruelle said.

Ruelle is secretary of Finding Voice, a 120-member student group whose mission is to improve the campus environment for students with mental illnesses.

LSA sophomore Greta Wengenroth said the option to be seen immediately is extremely valuable for students.

She said she would have abandoned the hope of counseling if she had not been able to see a counselor immediately upon request.

CAPS has a counselor available for emergency walk-ins during business hours, but to be seen immediately, a student must either tell a staff member or check a box on a form indicating that his situation is urgent.

The application form reads: "If you are in crisis do you need to be seen today?" in bold letters.

Some say the language is a deterrent for students seeking help. Students might be uncomfortable saying they are in "crisis." and therefore wait several weeks for an appointment.

"For a student to demand to be seen is an unrealistic expectation," said a Finding Voice member who preferred to remain anonymous. "One problem with students who are dealing with mental illness is that there is a lot of shame and guilt."

The member said, "It's hard to know that you are in crisis, and the language doesn't define what a 'crisis' is."

Sevig said some centers use staff to determine what constitutes an "emergency" through an evaluation, but CAPS leaves the decision up to the student instead.

Finding Voice President Mark Terrell said the organization has been urging CAPS to implement a system in which a counselor would briefly meet with every student filling out an application form in order to evaluate the urgency of the individual case.

CAPS is restricted by a lack of resources, Sevig said.

Terrell also complained that CAPS crisis counseling is restricted to business hours.

"Most crises don't occur between 8 and 5 p.m.," Terrell said.

Another potential deterrent for students seeking help is the informed consent agreement, which is printed on the back of the application form.

The agreement could deter students from seeking psychological help because the form says regulatory boards in certain fields including law, medicine and government may "ask you to authorize disclosure" of CAPS records.

Even if the student signs the agreement, the board seeking to obtain the records must get a second consent from the student in order to be granted the records, according to Vicki Hays, associate director of CAPS.

This is a state-implemented policy. Only about 5 percent of students sign the form, Hays said.

Hays estimated there were 10 to 12 requests from boards to release information last semester.

All CAPS records are destroyed after seven years, Hays said.