Carleton students continue to wait for weeks on end to see a counsellor, The Charlatan reports for December’s print issue—all about mental health and wellness.
Neatly tucked between a grassy, oft-green patch and the Ice House is Carleton’s main resource for mental health and wellness on campus.
But this relatively quieter area on campus receives a high traffic of students in the Technology and Training Centre (CTTC), waiting to see a counsellor throughout the year.
And while some stakeholders say wait times have decreased in recent years, students using mental health services said Carleton’s facilities remain understaffed and limited in accommodating the volume of people visiting day-in and day-out.
Walk-in appointments at CTTC are available as early as 10:45 a.m. Monday through Friday, with last call at 3:15 p.m. before the clinic closes around 4 p.m.
“Students will normally be seen in the order they check in, but we may take people in urgent need first,” says a webpage dedicated to the services.
Students living in residence are redirected to services located in Renfrew House, which hosts three licensed counsellors as staff. Appointments for both clinics can be booked in-person or over the phone at 613-520-6674.
But upon calling the dedicated number, the Charlatan found a wait time of approximately nine minutes is required before someone actually picks up.
And it doesn’t end there. After calling the number, students are redirected to another extension for either clinic—around 10 to 15 more minutes of wait time—or usually asked to visit CTTC in person to book their appointment.
The earliest appointment available depends on the services required, but it’s somewhere between a week and three weeks from the time of calling before students actually meet a counsellor.
“I find [the wait times] pretty stressful because they give priority to those who live on campus,” said Zarsha Ladhani, a third-year English student who finds it restrictive to drop in every time she needs to see a counsellor.
“[It] sort of sucks especially when you have an emergency . . . What’s an emergency differs to everyone.” —Zarsha Ladhani, third-year English student
For some students, like first-year psychology student Parker Henderson, it’s easier just to walk in rather than booking an appointment, especially if you live in residence.
But Kaylea Martin, who works at the CTTC, said it’s at least a 30-minute wait before you see a counsellor even if you walk in.
“There are just so many people who come in looking for help,” said Henderson.
Three counsellors in residence is not enough for the volume of people who require access to mental health services, Henderson added.
Despite this, and several other factors, Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) president Lily Akagbosu says she hasn’t “heard any recent complaints about wait times on campus.”
The last time Akagbosu heard complaints was a few years ago, she says, when students said wait times were around six weeks before they saw a counsellor. “Then, a year ago, that dropped to two weeks, so fewer complaints,” she said.
“When I booked an appointment myself recently, I was accommodated the very next week,” she added.
A lot of these discrepancies in experience with mental health services is because of communication issues, said Ladhani.
“I honestly don’t think the university has mental health as its first priority . . . They need to be able to reach out to us.” —Zarsha Ladhani, third-year English student
“We’re aware of the ongoing demand for resources in mental health support,” said Greg Aulenback, Carleton’s director for strategic initiatives.
To better understand and cater to student feedback, Aulenback said Carleton’s Health and Counselling department implemented a client survey in waiting rooms.
It remains unclear, however, how findings from student surveys are used to decrease wait times at Carleton.
Henderson says one way Carleton’s counselling services can be improved is by increasing awareness of hotlines, and resources available to on and off-campus students.
Ladhani agreed.
“First, add more staff—they need to make their hours more flexible,” she said. Then, “employ better therapists, more variety of people.”
“The focus is just wrong.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact:
- Mental Health Crisis Line: 613-722-6914 (within Ottawa) and 1-866-996-0991 (outside Ottawa)
- Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region 24-hour line: 613-238-3311
- Youth Services Bureau 24/7 Crisis Line: 613-260-2360 or 1-877-377-7775 (toll free for eastern Ontario).
- EmpowerMe 24/7 helpline: 1-844-741-6389 (anywhere in North America)
- Good2Talk helpline: 1-866-925-5454 (anywhere in Ontario 24/7)
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT-686868 (available anywhere in Canada 24/7)
Students who require counselling support can go in person between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, to Health and Counselling Services at the CTTC Building, Suite 2600. Students may also call 613-520-6674 or walk in to schedule an appointment.
Carleton employees can access the after-hours Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by calling 1-800-668-9920, or during regular business hours at 613-725-5676.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
