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Education Dive
Colleges go virtual to address growing mental health needs
Natalie Schwartz
Sept. 17, 2020
Dive Brief:
The coronavirus is taking a toll on students' mental health, and
colleges are turning to virtual services to help learners cope during
the pandemic.
Experts say students may be struggling with feelings of isolation and
heightened anxiety from economic hardship and unknowns about the virus.
In turn, already-strained counseling centers are seeing or expecting
increased demand.
But colleges should carefully evaluate virtual services and consider their limitations, according to one recent guide.
Dive Insight:
The pandemic is taxing Americans' mental health, including that of
college students. In a recent survey of more than 45,000 students
attending public research universities, roughly one-third screened
positive for major depressive disorder and 39% screened positive for
generalized anxiety disorder.
These disorders were higher among women, students of color, and
low-income and LGBT students, as well as student caregivers and those
who didn't adapt well to remote instruction, according to the survey,
which was conducted between May and July.
Moreover, around 60% of students in a separate survey said the pandemic
has made it harder to access mental healthcare. That survey covered
nearly 19,000 students and was conducted between March and May. A
higher share of students also reported their mental health harmed their
academic performance during the spring than last fall.
Students may be struggling with feelings of isolation while on campus,
experts said. "It's not what they signed up for," said Stephen
Wonderlich, vice president for research at Sanford Health-Fargo. "A lot
of time, their socializing is limited, their eating locations are
limited (and) their classrooms are limited."
With the coronavirus hindering in-person services, colleges are turning
to virtual offerings to help students with their mental health. Several
colleges, for example, are providing students with apps to access
mental health services or contracting with teletherapy providers.
And some schools are looking to help students struggling with their
finances. Low-income students are dropping out of college at a higher
rate than usual this fall, The Washington Post reported.
InsideTrack, a student services nonprofit, is using $500,000 in grants
to launch an emergency coaching network for up to 5,000 college
students who are experiencing pandemic-related challenges, such as
mental health issues or financial hardship. So far, about a dozen
institutions have signed on to use the services, including North
Central Texas College and Kingsborough Community College, in New York.
Large increases in the use of InsideTrack's crisis support services
prompted the nonprofit to develop the new offering. "Prior to COVID, a
large portion of the college-going population was affected by basic
needs issues," said Dave Jarrat, InsideTrack's senior vice president of
strategic engagement and growth. "(The pandemic) has deepened that
problem for folks who were already experiencing it, and it has widened
the problem."
Up to 10 colleges will also receive staff training from InsideTrack on coaching students through challenging situations.
Meanwhile, the College of Charleston, which has in-person classes this
fall, is teaming up with the nearby Medical University of South
Carolina to bolster its mental health services
During the initiative's first year, College of Charleston students will
have access to the university's 24/7 urgent care platform, as well as
telepsychiatry and in-person psychiatry services. The university will
also assess the college's healthcare services and recommend ways it can
improve.
Other schools are spearheading mental health initiatives they hope will
benefit their surrounding communities. The University of North Dakota,
for instance, teamed up with Sanford Health to create a series of free
online education modules to help people cope with common mental health
issues tied to the pandemic.
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