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Good Mental Health Care Requires Student Initiative

It is important to "figure out more ways formental health services to spend more time withpeople in the House," says Catlin, who agrees withDucey's belief that "tutors are not designated asmental health watchdogs."

Rubin would like to see moreprofessionally-trained mental health specialistsworking as resident tutors as a way to increaseaccountability and their commitment to thestudents.

"People aren't held fully accountable. Housesare reluctant to let a tutor go," she says.

By chance, two licensed psychologists areliving in Leverett House, to whom tutors andstudents turn.

The doctors advise administrators how to handledelicate situations and refer students to outsidecare.

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Hopefully, this system will prevent anotherDunster House, 1995.

"We want to be proactive, not reactive," saysJohn E. Dowling '57, outgoing master of LeverettHouse. "We want to solve problems before theybecome real problems."

Dowling says, "They will not treat, but theywill talk"--more than what is available in mostHouses.Paul S. Gutman, IllustrationJoshua H. Simon

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