Mental Health Resources
Some law students worry that getting help dealing with stress or other mental health issues will create problems getting licensed by state bar organizations. There is no need to be concerned about this. For more information, please read "Why Getting Professional Help During Law School Won't Prevent You From Getting a License to Practice Law."
Asst. Dean David Baum, 301 Hutchins Hall; 734.764.0516
Asst. Dean Christine Gregory, 307 Hutchins Hall; 734.615.0019
Diane Nafranowicz, M.S.W. 764-1116
Law School difficulties can stem from academic as well as nonacademic problems. David Baum, Christine Gregory, and Diane Nafranowicz are available to the student community to provide counseling and advice. They encourage students to feel welcome to share their problems and concerns, large or small, whether or not they seem related to Law School. You may want to make one of their offices the first stop when you are experiencing distress or need help in finding appropriate resources.
3100 Michigan Union 530 S. State Street*
Phone: 734.764.8312 Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-7pm, Fri 8am-5pm
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) has a professional staff that includes social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and religious psychological counselors supplemented by student interns and peer counselors. Individual counseling is available to students for a wide range of personal and interpersonal concerns as well as for problem solving and referral to other campus organizations. The agency also provides a variety of group experiences, including ongoing group counseling and workshops on such topics as assertion training and overcoming exam anxiety.
The Law School maintains a special relationship with a team of counselors that possesses a good knowledge of the Law School experience and its special academic and professional pressures. Hours are reserved for students who may otherwise experience difficulty scheduling appointments.
Next to Emergency Medicine at University Hospital*
1500 East Medical Center Drive
24 hour crisis line: 734.996.4747
Phone: 734.936.5900
Anyone seeking emergency psychiatric care can visit this 24-hour mental health crisis center or call the crisis line.
Suite 2463 East Hall 530 Church Street*
Phone: 734.764.3471 Appointment required
The Psychological Clinic offers therapy for many difficulties and concerns, including, but not limited to, depression and anxiety, personal relationship problems, school and career difficulties, confusion or concern about sexual identities or preferences, problems dealing with an upsetting or traumatic event, and loss of a loved one or close relationship.
The AODPP is a student-centered program that uses strategic interventions, collaboration, innovation to reduce the harmful consequences of alcohol and other drug use.
Information about alcohol and other drug health concerns, educational initiatives, environmental strategies plus collaborative efforts between the UM campus and Ann Arbor community can be found here.
BASICS is a two-session alcohol assessment and education program offered free to all University of Michigan students through University Health Services. This program is designed to assist students in examining their own drinking behavior in a judgment-free environment. The goals are selected by the student and aimed at reducing risky behaviors and harmful consequences of drinking.
Campus Mind Works was created to support University of Michigan students who have been diagnosed with an ongoing mental health disorder. This site provides information and resources to help students manage their illness, such as treatments, medications, insurance, and strategies for managing academic challenges. You will find an extensive, easy-to-search resource database with U-M and community support services and useful tools to help you stay healthy while facing the unique challenges of academic life.
Those who want to help a friend with a mental health problem can learn which strategies are most effective and which to avoid by clicking here.
Rachel Upjohn Building*
4250 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2700
Phone: 1-800-475-MICH (6424) or 734-936-440
The University of Michigan Depression Center was created to fight depression and its cousin, bipolar disorder. You can find information and treatment options for these common disorders, as well as others, on their website.
Additional resources can be found at LawLifeline, an anonymous, confidential, online resource center, where students can be comfortable searching for the information they need and want regarding emotional health. LawLifeline is a project of The Jed Foundation, the nation’s leading organization working to protect the emotional health of America’s college students, and was developed with input from leading experts in mental health and higher education.
The Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program (LJAP) provides support to lawyers, judges, and law students who are dealing with mental illnesses, substance abuse, and other challenges in life. LJAP is especially well suited to help law students who are worried that their history of mental health and/or substance abuse–related incidents may be of concern to passing the Character and Fitness portion of the Bar exam, which is required to become a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan.
MiTalk(pronounced "My Talk") is a website created for University of Michigan students and is the place to start if you have concerns about the mental health of yourself or a friend. On this site you will find a number of mental health resources, including information about living with chronic health conditions, online screenings for depression and anxiety, skill-building tools to help you manage stress and academic life, and digitally recorded workshops, lectures, and some relaxation exercises that you can play on the website or download to your mp3 player.
The Rackham Graduate School has comiled a comprehensive listing of mental health resources, which you can access here.
This Web site organizes the many resources available at the University of Michigan for student mental health and is intended for a variety of constituents -- students, faculty, staff, parents, family members, and loved ones. The site is one result of the Student Mental Health Work Group's (MHWG) ongoing effort to provide support and direction to work being done on campus to support student mental health in a variety of ways and through the dedicated efforts of many units on campus.
Counseling and Psychological Services sponsors several support groups on a variety of issues ranging from depression, chronic illness, LGBTQ, recovery and more. Click here to view a list of groups.
International students may experience some difficulties that are unique to them because of added pressure of adjusting to a new culture, language, and a different academic environment. For many international students, counseling may not be a common practice. However, in the United States, counseling is becoming a more common way of dealing with personal stress and difficulties. All U-M students have access to professional counselors. Talking with a professional counselor allows you the opportunity to discuss your concerns with someone in a safe, friendly, and culturally sensitive environment. Please see additional information just for international students
Sometimes you may need health services that you must pay for on your own. If so, and if you need financial assistance, please contact the Law School's Office of Financial Aid at 734-764-5289 or in 310 Hutchins Hall.
*A map indicating the locations of these U-M mental health resources is available here.