Traditionally open to all comers, community colleges face particular challenges dealing with unstable or mentally ill students, officials said. The colleges serve many students on the economic margins; a large number of military veterans, including those suffering from physical and emotional trauma; and former felons seeking a fresh start. Because they are mainly commuter campuses, there may also be relatively few opportunities for students and faculty to build relationships that could help detect troubling changes in behavior.
The sour economy has increased demand for community colleges even as many have cut back on services, including counseling. At the same time, educators at colleges across the country report seeing increasing numbers of students exhibiting signs of mental illness and other problems.
"We consider access fundamental to our mission, but it gets to a point where one has to reconsider if that is realistic," said Norma Kent, vice president for communications of the American Assn. of Community Colleges.
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-me-college-behavior-20110116,0,4355241.story