The problem with parents

As part of the response to last year's tragic shootings at Virginia Tech, the Virginia General Assembly recently passed a number of bills dealing with how Virginia's public universities handle students with mental health problems. But in attempting to solve one obvious problem, they may have created another more subtle one.

Among the bills was HB 1005, sponsored by Charlottesville's own Delegate Rob Bell (R). In essence, the bill requires that universities establish policies ensuring that if a student receives treatment at the school's student health facilities and is determined to pose a serious threat to him/herself or others, then the school must notify the student's parents. (If you're interested, you can read the whole text of the bill here.) The bill passed unanimously at every stage of the legislative process.

The parents of Seung-Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter, didn't know that Cho had undergone treatment and been given such a designation. Some believe that knowledge could have somehow prevented the tragedy.

While parental notification probably isn't a bad idea in cases this severe, the presence of the policy could deter some students from seeking the help they need. For many students, the chief advantage of going to Student Health is that they can receive treatment and guidance without their parents knowing about it. For some, it allows them to avoid embarrassment, not an insignificant consideration when deciding to seek help. For others, whose parents strongly disapprove of therapy or any other psychiatric help, Student Health's anonymity makes it the only option they have unless they pay for their own health insurance.

In either case, students are much less likely to come forward if they think there's a possibility Student Health will dial up mom & dad. In reality, such notification will occur only rarely, as the bill sets the bar for parental notification fairly high. But a perception problem remains, since students will more likely catch the words "parental notification" than the details that go with them. Student Health centers here and around the state should do all they can to let students know they will respect their privacy so they can prevent students from avoiding the help they need.