As
more
Americans,
including
college
students,
prioritize
and
raise
expectations
for
mental
healthcare,
Baldwin
Wallace
University
continues
to
develop
new
ways
to
meet
a
need
that
is
now
well
established.
According
to
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention,
"During
August
2020-February
2021,
the
percentage
of
adults
with
recent
symptoms
of
an
anxiety
or
a
depressive
disorder
increased
from
36.4%
to
41.5%."
While
vaccines
and
treatments
have
relieved
some
of
the
pandemic-induced
pressure,
BW
has
partnered
with
The
JED
Foundation
for
their
Campus
Fundamentals
program,
which,
according
to
the
foundation
website,
is
aimed
at
"bolstering
comprehensive
support
for
student
mental
health."
Powerful
Partnerships
The
JED
partnership,
established
in
the
2021-22
academic
year,
was
supported
by
BW
funds
and
a
substantial
scholarship
from
Morgan
Stanley.
First-year
initiatives
included
establishing
a
campus
mental
health
task
force,
completing
a
Healthy
Minds
Study
of
the
emotional
health
of
BW
students
and
an
April
campus
site
visit
by
JED
Foundation
advisor
Michael
King.
"Through
this
process,
the
BW
JED
Campus
Team
-
made
up
of
students,
staff
and
faculty
across
the
institution
-
has
begun
looking
at
recommendations
in
each
domain
area
of
JED's
Comprehensive
Approach,"
King
says.
"Already,
the
group
has
begun
to
brainstorm
and
problem-solve
to
make
campus
a
safer
and
better
place
for
students
to
thrive."
Sophia
Kallergis,
director
of
BW
Counseling
Services,
adds,
"This
process
is
allowing
BW
to
pursue
a
more
data-driven
outreach
model
by
giving
us
a
better
understanding
of
the
mental
health
needs
of
the
larger
campus
community,
in
addition
to
those
students
who
seek
services
through
BW
Counseling
Services."
24/7
care,
even
in
summer
While
analysis
of
the
complete
survey
data
is
in
the
hands
of
The
Healthy
Minds
Network
at
the
University
of
Michigan,
BW
is
already
responding
to
some
of
the
preliminary
results
to
inform
decisions
about
mental
health
services.
That
includes
a
recent
decision
to
renew
BW's
contract
for
24/7
healthcare
access
offered
by
the
JacketCare
program,
powered
by
TimelyMD,
which
was
originally
added
in
January
2021
with
federal
CARES
Act
monies.
Now,
that
program
will
continue
with
University
funding.
Kallergis
emphasizes
that
round-the-clock
access
to
online
healthcare
services
via
smartphone,
tablet,
laptop
or
desktop
is
available
to
students
over
the
summer
if
they
are
registered
for
classes
in
fall.
Services
are
available
in
all
50
states,
365
days
a
year
and
include:
-
TalkNow:
On-demand
access
to
talk
to
a
mental
health
professional
about
anything
at
anytime
-
Scheduled
Counseling:
Scheduled
visits
to
speak
to
a
licensed
counselor
-
Health
Coaching:
Nutrition
specialists
help
students
adopt
healthier
lifestyle
behaviors
-
Psychiatry:
Referred
through
on-campus
counseling
center
-
TimelyCare
Sessions:
Weekly
guided
meditation
and
yoga
group
sessions,
plus
specialized
sessions
throughout
the
year.
Informing
future
initiatives
The
partnership
with
JED
is
ongoing.
Following
the
initial
campus
visit
by
King
this
spring,
there
are
plans
to
continue
meetings
throughout
the
coming
academic
year
as
BW
continues
to
implement
new
programs
and
strategies.
BW
counseling
staff
already
facilitated
JED
"You
Can
Help
a
Friend"
trainings
for
the
campus
community,
enhancing
the
skill
sets
of
students
in
recognizing
and
responding
to
their
peers
who
might
be
in
distress.
A
similar
program
for
faculty
and
staff,
"You
Can
Help
a
Student,"
will
be
offered
in
the
coming
year,
along
with
repeat
opportunities
for
the
student
training.
"We
also
hope
that
BW's
membership
in
the
JED
Campus
Fundamentals
program
sends
a
strong
signal
that
the
University
is
committed
to
improving
the
emotional
health
of
our
students
and
to
reducing
suicide
and
serious
substance
misuse,"
explains
Timothy
Hall,
assistant
director
of
prevention
and
outreach
for
BW
Counseling
Services.
