BATON ROUGE - LSU's new counselor is set to begin this month, specifically dedicated to serving the needs of the Tiger Marching Band and students in the College of Music and Dramatic Arts.

Raime Thibodeaux, the director of LSU's Mental Health Service, said students in the band and College of Music and Dramatic Arts (CMDA) have rigorous course loads.

"They often have their regular case load, they may also have a job to help them pay their bills, and in addition to that, being in the Tiger Band is kind of a part-time job," she said. "Their schedules are completely full and weighted down."

It is part of the reason why Gerald and Alice Bahlinger said students in the band and CMDA need a counselor they can readily access. Their son, Matthew Bahlinger, played saxophone in the band in 2016 and 2017.

"Band was a big part of Matthew's life. Most of the people he roomed with in college were band people," Gerald Bahlinger, Matthew's dad, said.

"He had a dry wit, always funny, always making sarcastic comments and making people laugh, he was really good at it," his mom, Alice Bahlinger, said.

Matthew suffered from depression. He took his life in 2022.

"During his time here at LSU, it was a six-week wait to get an appointment with a clinician. He just had trouble finding someone who could see him soon enough. The thing about mental health is that if you're having a crisis, you need help today," Alice Bahlinger said.

Thibodeaux said having a dedicated counselor will cut down on wait times.

"Any time we have more staff, it helps us manage the demand more efficiently," Thibodeaux said.

The Bahlingers said the counselor is just part of the work of The Matthew Bahlinger Memorial Fund. The foundation puts on Matt's Dinner each year, serving hundreds of band members. It also covers QPR, Question, Persuade, and Refer, a suicide prevention training, for section leaders in the band.

The family says they want to support all LSU students. The university said the embedded position will mainly serve students in the band and CMDA, but could also provide services to the rest of the student population as well.

"We want there to be no wait to see a counselor, we want them to be available to everybody, and right now it is," Alice Bahlinger said.

The embedded counselor's office will be in the School of Music building. The Matthew Bahlinger Memorial Fund, the LSU Health Center and the College of Music and Dramatic Arts are sharing the cost.

"What is the next step? This is a permanent position, they're going to be here 12 months a year," Gerald Bahlinger said.