How Colleges Are Improving Mental Health on Campus
October 28, 2022
Throughout the pandemic, some colleges have taken a comprehensive approach to supporting student mental health. Such an approach includes expanding mental health services, providing stress reduction programs, and reducing access to lethal means of suicide. According to Shawnté Elbert, associate vice president of health and well-being at Ohio State University, it is important to involve students in efforts to plan mental health programming. “That means looking at how we approach the work that we do from a very health equity-focused lens.” To increase access to culturally competent mental health supports, some schools plan to continue offering telehealth services as well as resources tailored for students disproportionately affected by mental health challenges. Promoting mental health on campus requires everyone working together, said Elbert. “We can’t do this work from one specific lens or area of expertise. We have to have an interdisciplinary approach to looking at this comprehensively.”
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