#Awareness means nothing without resources

Recently some of The University of Alabama students are reposting Tweets regarding Mental Health Awareness to the Dean of Students.

Tuscaloosa, Ala.—

The Capstone has been filled with flyers recently regarding Mental Health Awareness. Some students have taken their time to repost the flyers on their twitter accounts with the hashtag “ #awarenessmeans nothingwithoutresources”.

“No one can get to the Dean of Students and we can’t change it, they are aware and will not do anything,” Sol, a student, said.

“My first semester of graduate school I was having daily panic attacks and suicidal thoughts-it took a week and a half to see a counselor to get into a psychiatrist in Tuscaloosa. We don't have that much time”, Morgan Danielle, a graduate student, tweeted.

“In order for students to strive for and maintain excellence , they need true support. Platitudes and photo ops make no difference. Mental health is as important as physical health. Do better,” a user @Abbey, tweeted.

The University of Alabama has the Counseling Center, The University Medical Center (Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Betty Shirley Clinic), and the Women and Gender Resource Center. The Counseling Center as of now has eighteen licensed counselors for students. The Betty Shirley Clinic has one practicing physician (Susan Pearce Arnold, MD) and nine insurance carriers: this institution is for both students and the community of Tuscaloosa. The Women and Gender Resource Center has five therapist which is accessible for The University of Alabama student and the community of Tuscaloosa.

The University of Alabama currently does not have a Dean of Students. However, Stacy Jones, the Associate Dean of Students said sometimes things are misconstructed and not looking at the whole picture.