College, Interrupted: A Case Study of the Mental Health Leave Process

• In Event: 58.039 - Inclusivity and Student Wellness

Abstract

Students who experience a mental health crisis while enrolled in College can encounter an interruption to their college journey. This case study examines the mental health leave and reenrollment process and its impact on college student development using the lens of Nancy Schlossberg’s (2011) model of transition. It also explores the perceptions and values of college staff who facilitate these processes for students. Using my conceptual model of the mental health leave and reenrollment process for guidance, college personnel and researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the four main transitions that occur during this process-crisis, time away, re-entry, and return to the college journey, to develop best practices that focus on supporting students through each stage of the process.

Author

• Rachel McDonald, College of William and Mary