The task force also tossed around the idea of combining the two venues into a single location, in the hopes of transferring some of the approachability of the Bureau to UHS services, Stork said.
However, Stork said some committee members expressed reservations about the idea, arguing that combining the venues might actually increase the stigma associated with the Bureau.
The existence of a stigma hindering students from seeking mental health care is a constant issue when considering improvement, Barreira said.
“Somehow we’ve got to advance people’s education and awareness about getting treatment for a mental health problem,” Barreira said. “People want to pretend they don’t need treatment.”
He said student groups will play a large role in alleviating this concern, along with use of websites and the continuance of the Caring for the Harvard Community program, an education initiative dedicated to increasing awareness of mental health services.
The group will also discuss methods of improving education and training for House tutors to encourage greater and more helpful interaction between students and their advisors, Barreira said.
The task force also reviewed figures from a depression screening run by MHAAG in November, which showed high rates of depression and anxiety disorder among students—in seniors and black students in particular—Stork said.
“I think it’s a good example of the need to be able to find different venues for identifying students who are distressed,” Barreira said of the screening. “In the survey, there were a sizeable number of students who had not had any therapy, which underscores what the task force already intends to address. The Harvard community needs multiple ways to get information to help them get into help.”
The task force will meet for the second time during reading period.
The groups is composed of Barreira, who is director of community clinical services and a psychiatrist at McLean Hospital, Undergraduate Council President Rohit Chopra ’04, UHS Chief of Medicine Christopher M. Coley, Sarah E. Henrickson ’01, Associate Dean Georgene B. Herschbach, Professor of International Health Jennifer Leaning ’68, Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans, Assistant Dean John T. O’Keefe, UHS psychiatrist James K. O’Rourke, Quinn, Bureau clinician M. Suzanne Renna, Chair of Harvard’s UHS Visiting Committee Lorraine Siggins, Stork and Director of Student Financial Services Ryan C. Williams.
—Staff writer Katharine A. Kaplan can be reached at kkaplan@fas.harvard.edu.