With a single click on the University’s gateway website, a list of 25 mental health treatment centers, student support groups, student organizations and web resources appear.

Though the list may look complete, the University is still trying to find the right balance of services to effectively accommodate students’ mental health needs. Daniel Eisenberg, an associate professor in the School of Public Health, is leading a team on the Healthy Minds Study that is working to find that balance.

The HMS is an annual national survey that explores the prevalence of depression, anxiety and eating disorders among college students and examines how many students seek treatment for these conditions. The survey is a collaboration between researchers from the School of Public Health, the University’s Depression Center and the Department of Psychiatry within the University of Michigan Health System.

Eisenberg and other researchers working on the study concluded that even when students have access to free psychotherapy and health services, they usually do not take advantage of these resources. Proposed explanations for the findings include the lack of knowledge among students of the services provided, skepticism about the effectiveness of treatment and cultural barriers.

Eisenberg said while these issues are not unique to college students, the nature of a college campus makes it an ideal place to study political causes.

“That’s exactly what got me so interested in this area of study,” he said. “Not so much the idea that college students have a disproportionate amount of mental health problems, but it’s more the opportunity that seems to be there to have a positive influence on mental health and the fact that there are so many channels to reach students and have positive effects.”

Eisenberg distinguished two major strategies to reach students struggling with these mental health issues — individual interventions and public health interventions.

More is known about the effectiveness of individual interventions like medication and psychotherapy, both of which have proved to be effective treatment options for depression and anxiety, Eisenberg said. He added that public health interventions, which are aimed at a larger student population and focus on preventative treatment and screenings, haven't been extensively examined within college settings.

For University students, both options are readily accessible.

The University’s Counseling and Psychological Services office offers therapeutic support, and the Department of Psychiatry and the Depression Center have clinical treatment available. Other support programs on campus exist through the Career Center, the Dean of Students Office, the Spectrum Center and University Housing Residence Hall Programs and Services. And if none of these help students, there are more than 15 other resources for students to choose from.

Students will also have one more option starting next week when CAPS opens its new Wellness Zone. Located on the third floor of the Michigan Union, the new facility will feature tools for relaxation like massage chairs, a Seasonal Affective Disorder lamp, stress reduction programs and yoga and meditation instruction.

Todd Sevig, the director of CAPS, said having so many resources is inevitable at a large University like this, but it’s important to make sure each one plays a unique role on campus.

While some may find it inefficient and overwhelming to have so many options available for mental health treatment, Vicky Hayes, an associate director of CAPS, said she thinks having a diverse range of options is important.

“I think the plus side of the decentralization is maybe getting to an option that feels like a good fit,” Hayes said.