Student Mental Health: Exploring New Ideas Together
Student mental health poses many challenges for higher education. What are the most effective ways to serve students? How can colleges and universities keep students enrolled who are experiencing a mental health crisis? How can educational institutions make wise financial investments in this area? Are there new ideas, such as peer-to-peer support, that are showing promise?
MHEC will explore these questions over the course of 2023, bringing information on trends and best practices to the MHEC community. “We know that student mental health is a significant issue for our member states,” says MHEC President Susan Heegaard. “Our job at MHEC is to develop collaboration solutions to issues that are too large for one
state to tackle alone. Mental health certainly falls into that category.”
MHEC recently entered into agreements with META Teletherapy and TAO Connect to provide institutions of higher education access to a nationwide network of licensed mental health providers, and a suite of mental health and wellness modules, exercises, and resources to students, faculty, and staff with 24/7, free online access to over 150 self-guided digital sessions on anxiety, depression, substance abuse and more. MHEC will follow usage and bring participants in the contract together to share results and reactions.
Last fall, MHEC hosted a panel on this topic to share successful examples and actionable approaches. with Dr. LaTasha Sullivan, University of Toledo; Dr. Kenneth Browner, Lakeland Community College; Ms. Markie Pasternak, Active Minds (a non-profit organization serving youth and young adults mental health in both K-12 and higher education,); Ms. Nance Roy, Jed Foundation (a non-profit promoting positive mental health among teens and young adults); and Ms. Jennifer Dahlquist, MHEC vice president. The recording of the presentation Supporting Student Mental Health and Wellness Across Campus is posted.
Watch for opportunities to join future MHEC conversations on this important topic.