[Read more about what some schools have done to address students’ mental health.]

The 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech, which prompted universities to change how they deal with mental health issues, led many institutions to hire case managers, or “ICare” teams, like Ithaca’s, whose jobs include helping students in distress. Just 25 people attended the inaugural meeting of the Higher Education Case Managers Association, in 2008, the group said. By the end of this year, the association expects to have more than 900 members.

And although colleges have increased the size of their counseling staffs, many campuses are still straining to keep up, forcing some institutions to rethink their treatment strategies.

Daniel Eisenberg, a University of Michigan professor, said many colleges were also intrigued with the idea of online treatment, but were skeptical of its merits.

“One of the best parts of campuses is that we have this in-person community where we can support students, so why start doing things online? It’s a debate or question that’s hanging over higher education,” said Dr. Eisenberg, who is helping to lead a large study to better understand the effectiveness of online treatment.

Traumatic incidents have helped other institutions revamp their intake processes. A 2010 shooting at the University of Texas led its counseling center to develop a crisis-response system now used to assess all students seeking mental health treatment. The university’s “brief assessment and referral team,” or B.A.R.T., aims to identify students’ problems quickly and direct them to the right service.

U.T. refers many students to one of the 30 to 40 counseling groups it administers each semester. Among other things, the groups have helped survivors of sexual assault and students exploring different identities. The forums show students they are not alone, which can be a powerful message. They also help reduce the load on university counselors.

“We would love to provide all the resources to all the students,” said Christopher Brownson, associate vice president for student affairs and director of the university’s counseling and mental health center. “But the answer to all social and emotional problems in the world cannot be to go see your therapist.”