Rewiring Mental Health Services For A Post Pandemic Campus

Higher Ed ReWired

About this episode

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed structural weaknesses and inequities across the nation in all major industries - housing, government, finance, health care, and education. This revelation resulted in educational institutions across the nation successfully reworking the more traditional aspects of student success such as instructional modality, classroom technology, and basic needs. However, most institutions continue to seek the elusive answer to the problem of finding the best practice in addressing the fragility of mental health services on the college campus.

Higher Ed Rewired has a roundtable discussion with three student leaders from the California State University as they recount what the pandemic meant for their mental health. We also meet with Dr. Eric Wood, Director of Counseling and Mental Health at Texas Christian University, and Dr. Sarah Lipson, Co-Principal Investigator and Associate Director of the Healthy Minds Network, as they provide solutions and discuss what universities should be doing to address the mental health crises on the college campus.

Featured on the Episode:

Dr. Sarah Ketchen Lipson is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Law Policy and Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. She is co-Principal Investigator of the Healthy Minds Study and Associate Director of the Healthy Minds Network.

Lipson's research focuses on understanding and addressing mental health inequalities in adolescent and young adult populations, especially college students. She employs varied methodologies, including large-scale epidemiological surveys and population-level interventions. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Huffington Post, and NPR.

At BUSPH, she teaches Research Theory and Design and Applied Studies in Health Services Research and is faculty director of the Master's of Science in Health Services and Systems Research

Lipson completed a dual PhD at the University of Michigan in Health Services Organization and Policy at the School of Public Health and Higher Education at the School of Education, and a master’s degree from Harvard University.

Dr. Eric Wood currently serves as the Director of Counseling & Mental Health at Texas Christian University and has over 12 years of experience in college mental health, including serving on the advisory board for the National College Depression Partnership and a peer reviewer for the Journal of American College Health.

Wood holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of North Texas. The highest priority for he and his staff is stewarding the trust that TCU students, and their families, give us regarding their mental health and psychological well-being. He is committed to providing the highest quality of care and maintaining TCU’s recognized status as one of the leading institutions in the field of college campus counseling.

Joshua Ochoais currently serving as the Associated Students President at San Francisco State University, and earning his Master’s in Public Administration. Joshua believes “we must all be and fight for the change that we want to see in the world.” At SFSU, Joshua has served students on the Associated Students Board of Directors by advocating for expanding basic needs initiatives, tuition-free public college, and equitable access to public transportation. He is motivated to fight for working-class issues through writing public policy, people-centered urban planning, and a constant push for advocacy and activism.

Dixie Samaniego (Ella/She/Her) is a third-year Political Science major and Women and Gender Studies minor at California State University Fullerton. Dixie is a proud Latina, daughter of immigrants, and a first-generation high school graduate and higher education student. She serves as the California State University Fullerton’s Associated Students Incorporated Chief Governmental Officer and as a Director and the Vice-Chair of Legislative Affairs on the Cal State Student Association. In addition to her campus advocacy, Dixie is the co-founder and Creative Director of The Black + Brown Healing Project, a grassroots organization working to center healing in advocacy through collective action. She is a huge fan of the MCU and all things music."

D’Aungilique Jackson, ASI President at Fresno State

Return on Investment Calculator for College Mental Health Services and Programs by the Healthy Minds Network:

https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6xN9QUSlFtgtRQh

Resources for people struggling with depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide:

California State University Mental Health Services

https://www.calstate.edu/attend/student-services/Pages/mental-health-services.aspx

The CSU provides programs and services to support the psychological and emotional health of our students. Mental health and counseling services on the campuses offer support and strive to help students achieve their academic, personal and professional goals.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Available to anyone in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in emotional distress. You can speak to them online or over the phone by calling 1-800-273-8255.

The TREVOR Project
thetrevorproject.org
Specific crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people is available on 1-866-488-7386.

SAFE Alternatives for self-abuse
selfinjury.com
Helpline: 800-366-8288.

Trans Lifeline
translifeline.org/hotline
A peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers in crisis. Call 877-565-8860.