Canadian Association of College & University Student Services CACUSS

The school also has more direct support options, be it the global master-level clinician support provided by TalkCampus (which provides a peer to speak with 24/7) or the campus-specific Panther Peer Mentor Program (PPMP), which matches new students with upper-level ones. Student-athletes in particular are given mandatory mental health education with a contracted consultant, but optional educational programming is available to all, like a first-year seminar that introduces students to wellness services (among FIT’s other offerings). A mental health task force and annual surveys also help the school ensure that they’re properly adjusting to meet students where they are, which is why residential directors seek out programming that reinforces self-care and connection. Additionally, the Student Wellness Center sometimes trains and hires “peer facilitators to educate students on healthy relationships, resources, and other topics,” ensuring that at-risk areas are covered from as many angles as possible, as in the way the Sexual Assault Peer Alliance (SAPA) provides direct peer-to-peer support, and the Sexual Violence Prevention Project teaches other skills, such as how to intervene. The school notes that about 25% of students utilize the Counseling Center, and even more are screened for mental health concerns through primary care visits.

If you are seen by a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner on campus, this will be covered by your Campus Counseling Center, but you will be responsible for the cost of medications. Counseling is free at your Campus Counseling Center for short-term counseling. Students enrolled at special programs such as Veterans and Disability Services can take advantage of specialized counseling available through their programs in addition to the counseling provided by their Campus Counseling Centers.

• Campus group services can be an ideal resource for students looking to get involved on campus and connect with others who share their interests or experiences.
• When partnering with a telehealth provider, make sure you’re getting access to quality, evidence-based care, campus-tailored crisis response plans, expert clinical oversight, and culturally-informed providers who have experience working with young adults.
• These resources offer pointers to help educators protect themselves from taking on too much, practically and emotionally, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
• Since the onset of the pandemic, several studies have found further increases in a variety of student mental health issues.
• Mental health is also prioritized, as all Dartmouth Undergraduate Assistants (UGAs) “receive mandatory mental health training,” which they in turn use to share and aid their fellow residents during mandatory House Community sessions.

Make good mental health a university priority

Providing access to optional training will do little to train students, faculty, and staff in mental health and suicide prevention. Outreach should also target specific student populations to ensure that services and programs meet their needs—including undergraduates, graduate students, racial/ethnic minorities, veterans, LGBTQ + students, student-athletes, international students, and students on scholarship or financial aid, among others—as they all have unique college experiences and would benefit from tailored services and supports. It is critical to include the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of students, faculty, and staff to ensure that services and resources meet their needs. Not only do they need knowledge and skills to support their students, but they also need support for their own mental health. This type of public health approach should include the health center, student body, faculty, staff, clubs, resident assistants, academic advisors, academic department heads, student affairs, and the larger community.

Michigan Technological University

PLEASURE educators, a peer group that provides resources to help students learn about “healthy relationships, sex positivity, and sexual violence prevention” Wellbeing Ambassadors and Wellbeing Lab Assistants “help students prioritize their wellbeing by building healthy habits and encouraging peers to seek support when needed.” MIT offers both on-campus and telehealth therapy, as well as a 24/7 crisis number that immediately connects students with a clinician.

Beyond counseling, other typical campus-provided services include crisis intervention (such as a hotline) for students experiencing urgent mental health concerns, as well as case management to connect students to other campus and community resources. In their review and meta-analysis of evidence (rated as lower methodological quality) on the effectiveness of preventative interventions SUNY Mental Health Resources in reducing mental health outcomes in university students, Regehr et al. found that cognitive and behavioural interventions focusing on stress reduction significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. This approach should include universal prevention efforts through messaging and classroom instruction; promotion of free mental health, substance use, and rape and sexual assault prevention resources; training of students, faculty, and staff in risk identification and referral; routine screening, assessment, and intervention; and provision of a wide array of easily accessible services both in and outside of college counseling centers.