Dear 2010 SBA Election Candidates,

A little recognized but widely felt issue on our campus is depression among law students.  A recently published article in the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics authored by own Professor Peterson reported that lawyers are 3.6 times more likely than the general population to suffer from major depressive disorder, and are also at a greater risk for heart disease, alcoholism and drug use.  Psychological problems facing attorneys begin in law school, and one study showed that 44% of law students demonstrated "significant levels of psychological distress."

Here are some suggestions for what the SBA can do to help alleviate these issues.

1. The SBA should work with the law school administration to place a number of psychologists on campus.  Unlike our brothers at Georgetown University Law Center, GW has no on-campus psychologist.  Georgetown has three.  In fact, our administration has taken a position that is steadfast against having a psychologist on campus.
2. The SBA should pressure the university administration to upgrade its student mental health services.  Currently, even students covered by the university sponsored health insurance must pay $50 per psychological counseling session out of pocket.  While they can be reimbursed for this expense, it is on the student to deal with their health insurance provider to recover their covered portion of the payment.  This must end.  Students should not be charged out of pocket for seeking mental counseling help.
3. The SBA should devote more resources to student awareness of mental health issues.  Our SBA boasts one of the largest funds for student activities of any law school.  The SBA should devote more of these resources to mental health awareness through activities cosponsored by the Dean of Student's Office and other on campus organizations such as Active Minds.

- Adrian Snead, President of Active Minds