Two Greek houses at WSU partnered with the Community Health Association of Spokane (CHAS) to provide mental health counseling services for its members once a week.

Quinton Berkompas, Delta Sigma Phi member, said he and Jhordin Prescott, Kappa Alpha Theta member, realized their members were not receiving the mental health care they needed, so they started looking for other options.

Berkompas said they reached out to CHAS who will have a mental health counselor visit their Greek houses once a week next fall. The mental health counselor will come to campus and commute between the houses.

“Any member from Delta Sigma Phi or Kappa Alpha Theta can meet with them and get the mental help coverage they need,” Berkompas said.

He said the first meeting might not be immediately accessible to all members, but after that relationship is established, they can request an appointment over the phone or video chat within the next couple of days

Prescott said CHAS offered the option to meet once a week.

“The telecommunication [aspect] seemed like another opportunity for people to talk,” she said.

Berkompas said through their private insurance, members will have access to a mental health counselor. CHAS is federally subsidized, so people without insurance can receive a discounted rate for services.

“Whatever is not covered by insurance would then be covered by the houses,” Berkompas said.

Prescott said the process to cover these services might be different for each house because it depends on their bylaws.

“We’re hopeful that we can just have the whole house funded and not have to increase dues,” she said.

Prescott said Kappa Alpha Theta is still in negotiations with their nationals in terms of funding.

Berkompas said his house has not reached out to their national chapters for financial support, but they are prepared to raise dues if they need to.

“We kind of all came to the consensus that this is something that we should be providing as a service,” he said.

Prescott said Kappa Alpha Theta members see these services as something they would use.

“It’s definitely something that we need here because we have a lot of pressure in college and I’ve seen mental breakdowns in this house,” she said.