Fall 2017
Committee:
Legislative Affairs Committee
WHEREAS, Some California community colleges offer health services during the fall and spring semesters such as STD/HIV testing, reproductive health services, and psychological counseling to students, which can be essential for all students struggling to access affordable health care, for students confused and scared of their condition, or for students who are seeking more information;
WHEREAS, 1 in 4 students suffer from a diagnosable mental illness, but 40 % of students do not seek treatment. Furthermore, 1 in 10 college students have considered suicide, with suicide being the 2nd leading cause of death among college students (Citation 1);
WHEREAS, According to the CDC, in 2015 the combined total cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis reached a new record high with 1.5 million new cases of chlamydia, about 395,000 new cases of gonorrhea, and nearly 24,000 cases of syphilis, in which people ages 15-24 accounted for more than half of these new cases (Citation 2). According to an article from the Journal of American College Health, more than 1 in 5 sexually active students reported they or their partners using emergency contraceptives (Citation 3); and
WHEREAS, California community colleges offer health services, but they do not offer these services during the winter and summer sessions. This can greatly impact the physical and mental health of students, which can affect their academic success; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocates for California community colleges to set a student health services fee during summer and winter sessions in order to fund Health Services during the summer and winter sessions.
Citation 1: College Mental Health Services Program, AB-2017, 2015-2016 California Legislature. (2016).
Citation 2: (2016, October). CDC fact sheet: Reported STDs in the United States: 2015 National data for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/std-trends-508.pdf
Citation 3:Trieu, S. L., Bratton, S., & Hopp Marshak, H. (2011). Sexual and Reproductive Health Behaviors of California Community College Students. Journal of American College Health, 59(8), 744-750. doi:10.1080/07448481.2010.540764
WHEREAS, 1 in 4 students suffer from a diagnosable mental illness, but 40 % of students do not seek treatment. Furthermore, 1 in 10 college students have considered suicide, with suicide being the 2nd leading cause of death among college students (Citation 1);
WHEREAS, According to the CDC, in 2015 the combined total cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis reached a new record high with 1.5 million new cases of chlamydia, about 395,000 new cases of gonorrhea, and nearly 24,000 cases of syphilis, in which people ages 15-24 accounted for more than half of these new cases (Citation 2). According to an article from the Journal of American College Health, more than 1 in 5 sexually active students reported they or their partners using emergency contraceptives (Citation 3); and
WHEREAS, California community colleges offer health services, but they do not offer these services during the winter and summer sessions. This can greatly impact the physical and mental health of students, which can affect their academic success; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocates for California community colleges to set a student health services fee during summer and winter sessions in order to fund Health Services during the summer and winter sessions.
Citation 1: College Mental Health Services Program, AB-2017, 2015-2016 California Legislature. (2016).
Citation 2: (2016, October). CDC fact sheet: Reported STDs in the United States: 2015 National data for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/docs/factsheets/std-trends-508.pdf
Citation 3:Trieu, S. L., Bratton, S., & Hopp Marshak, H. (2011). Sexual and Reproductive Health Behaviors of California Community College Students. Journal of American College Health, 59(8), 744-750. doi:10.1080/07448481.2010.540764