Access to substance use services on campus: What's available in Ontario, Canada's post-secondary institutions.

Objective

To examine substance use services available to post-secondary students in Ontario, Canada.

Participants

All 23 universities and 24 public colleges in the province.

Methods

Researchers coded substance use service information on institutional websites and social media. Mental health service information was also described in case substance use services were embedded in general mental healthcare. Chi-square tests evaluated relationships between institution size and substance use service availability.

Results

Most institutions provided students with access to mental health services (counseling [96%], psychoeducational resources [83%], crisis services [91%]), either directly through institutions (62%) or through partnerships with external professionals (38%). Only 38% of any counseling service and 34% of psychoeducational resources specifically addressed substance use.

Conclusions

Low rates of substance use-specific services at Ontario post-secondary institutions suggest that institutions are not meeting students' substance use needs. Integrated services and specialized training for mental health professionals are essential to address substance use among post-secondary students.