According to data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment, 42 percent of almost 17,000 student respondents reported feeling so depressed they could not function and 60.4 percent reported feeling "hopeless" at some point during the last 12 months.

Studies of the student-athlete population also reveal startling results:

College is supposed to be "the time of your life" — a time to meet friends that last a lifetime and have the freedom to pursue life goals. But for some, adjusting to college life can be difficult, and for student-athletes, that adjustment can include additional stress that is unique from their non-athletics peers.

Student-athletes often are at greater risk for developing mental-health issues as they face the additional challenge of trying to balance academic and athletics responsibilities. Sometimes the added pressure to do well both academically and in sports can leave student-athletes feeling stressed out, anxious and depressed.

Coaches and athletics department staff are trained to deal with the physical injuries that afflict student-athletes, but what happens when the injuries aren’t physical? What happens when mental-health issues affect student performance either athletically, academically or socially?

One of the first steps in helping students with mental-health issues is early identification. By participating in the CollegeResponse program, colleges can help identify students who may be at risk.

CollegeResponse provides athletics departments, health centers and counseling departments with educational materials and screening tools that promote prevention, early detection and treatment of prevalent mental-health disorders and alcohol problems. Through in-person and online programming, CollegeResponse helps raise awareness, reduce stigma and, most importantly, refer students most in need to appropriate resources — either on or off campus.

While identifying students with potential mental-health issues or alcohol problems is the first step, the second is getting students the help they need. The CollegeResponse program motivates students to seek help. According to the online screening data, of those who responded to being asked if they plan to seek further evaluation, 62 percent said they would.

A student’s college experience should be an exciting time of growth and opportunity. No student deserves to have that time cut short by mental-health and substance-abuse problems. By offering in-person and online screening, colleges can help ensure a safe, healthy four years for their students.

Athletics departments are encouraged to connect with campus health and counseling staff to explore this resource. For more information or to register, call 781/239-0071 or visit www.mentalhealthscreening.org/college.