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Forbes reports on whether colleges are prepared to support the mental health of college students this fall. While university leaders have begun preparing reopening plans for students returning, investment towards increased counseling centers are at the forefront. Based on data from the Healthy Minds Network, 83% of the 33,000 college students surveyed reported that the COVID-19 pandemic and their resulting mental health issues have negatively impacted their college education. Amidst ongoing fears of safety and health for themselves and their loved ones, college students are also having a difficult time imagining their future given the past year of trauma and uncertainty. Nevertheless, Sarah Ketchen Lipson, Boston University faculty and co-Principal Investigator of the study, says the study did shine a positive light on the increased discussion of mental health and students’ willingness to reach out to one another. Laura Horne, chief program officer of Active Minds, agreed, noting that students are now more likely to seek help.
The New York Times reviews the results of a recent study that assesses how the pandemic has affected teen wellness and plans for after high school, finding that 72% of 13 to 19 year-olds faced mental health problems. The survey, conducted by America’s Promise Alliance which evaluated over 2,400 high schoolers, also reports that almost 80% of juniors and seniors have shifted their post-grad plans because of the pandemic. Of those who indicated changes to their plans, one-third have chosen to attend school closer to home, while around a quarter have decided to go to a two-year instead of four-year school. Inside Higher Ed covers the America’s Promise survey, in addition to another report by Strada Education Network of around 1,200 high school seniors “whose plans had been disrupted by the pandemic.” This second survey suggests that around one-third of respondents shifted plans to pursue a program that was less expensive or closer to home, with Black students especially subject to these changes.
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My Twin Tiers reports that the SUNY system will be revamping its mental health programming for all 64 of its schools. The primary goals of the new program include breaking down mental health stigma, expanding the counseling staff, outsourcing for additional resources, and establishing “permanent mental health and wellness positions.”
A new “Center for School Mental Health” planned to launch at the University of Iowa will offer services not only for college students but residents across the state, according to The Gazette. The construction has been made possible with $20 million in pandemic aid and hopes to be a long-term destination for mental health research and training.
Mercy Ogutu, a rising junior at Trinity Washington University, created a website that helps people find mental health resources. As a teen who struggled with body dysmorphia, stuttering, and depression, Ogutu turned to poetry to find healing and hopes to uplift others on their own mental health journeys.