Overseas study is safe

I was quite surprised to read the editorial in the Dec. 6 edition of the IDS (“Oversea-ing Health”), not because of the topic, but because the writer had not done any investigative research on how IU handles mental health issues of study abroad students. The writer declared that “we need smart policies to keep the students involved in these programs healthy.” If the editors at the IDS had done some fact-checking, they would have found out that the Office of Overseas Study does, in fact, have policies and procedures in place to maintain the well-being of IU students that study abroad. Overseas Study has a long tradition of excellent crisis management and we have worked with students in a variety of situations, including mental health issues of all kinds. The University-wide Overseas Study Advisory Council evaluates program proposals for all programs offered by any IU campus and the proposal process requires detailed information on how the program will address student health and safety issues. Faculty members who lead IU programs abroad attend a workshop to prepare them for any eventuality, including a wide range of health issues, including mental health ones. We’ve often invited a professional from Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to train our directors. We also provide every director with a set of crisis management plans. \nStudents planning to go abroad receive orientation from our staff which includes written materials that guide them as to how to best remain healthy while abroad. It is not uncommon for our students to visit health care professionals abroad, and all students studying on an IU program carry special insurance included as part of their program fees to help provide such assistance. IU is among the top 20 leading institutions sending students abroad and is highly respected in the field of international education for the extensive policies we already have in place, including those that focus on the health and well-being of our students.\nI hope that the IDS handles future stories on study abroad more responsibly and with an accurate local focus to broad important topics such as this one.