How Colleges Are Building Mental Health Resource Hubs to Address the Crisis

College students today face an unprecedented level of stress. From the rising cost of higher education to the tense political climate of a post-pandemic world shaped by the social justice upheaval of 2020, many young people are experiencing mental health issues that impact their daily lives.

A study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, collected data from 373 college campuses in 2020-2021 and found upwards of 60% of students met the criteria for one or more mental health problems. Another recent study from Boston University revealed depression among college students increased by nearly 135% over eight years, while anxiety surged 110%.

Colleges are also facing a surge in caseloads, with more students seeking help than ever before, and experts are concerned about the ability of campus counseling centers to meet the demand. The Vice Chancellor and Dean at North Carolina State University recently reported the school has more than doubled its counselors over the last decade to 47 clinical professionals and even if they had “100 or 1,000 counselors” they could not fully address the crisis. As reported by the American Psychological Association, many campuses prioritize cases in which a student’s safety is at risk, such as suicidality and trauma. Because of this, a large number of students fall through the cracks and are not given the tools and resources they require.

There is an urgent need to understand the challenges students face today and provide convenient tools to address student mental health fitness and build resilience. One company is offering innovative technology that empowers students to get help right at their fingertips with the use of smartphone applications.

Spartan Medical Inc., a leading provider of innovative medical technology and solutions, is providing colleges and universities with the most effective digital mental wellness program available. The Mindyra MindHealth Navigator™ is a comprehensive program designed to build resilience and provide mental health support for the entire campus community, not only those in critical need. This solution can augment campus counseling services by providing extra resources students can use even when counseling centers are closed.

The Mental Health Resource Hub

Most colleges provide some tools and services to address the mental health needs of their students, however these resources are not always integrated. The Mindyra MindHealth Navigator™ has the ability to integrate with your institution’s current resources, serving as a mental health resource hub that provides convenient access for students to get the help they need all in one place. Throughout the app are links to provide access to emergency help for students who may be facing a crisis.

It also provides a dashboard for administrators to view de-identified, aggregate data to determine campus trends and assess the student population. The dashboard also allows institutions to track the quality of all the resources they are providing with customizable KPI visualization.

Leading studies support the potential of using mental health apps to positively impact student’s mental health. In 2017, a study published in the World Psychiatry Journal concluded that “the evidence to date indicates that mental health interventions delivered via smartphone devices can reduce depressive symptoms.” Published just this year, Analysis of Mobile App-Based Mental Health Solutions for College Students was able to conclude that “there is potential to improve depressive symptoms and other similar mental health problems among college students via mobile app interventions.”

To make an immediate impact and remain affordable, Spartan Medical is offering the Mindyra MindHealth Navigator™ with flat-rate pricing and customized options to fit the needs and budgets of any sized school.

Young adults are the future leaders of our country and we collectively want to protect their health and wellbeing. By putting evidence-based technology in the hands of students through an easily downloadable app, colleges and universities can give students the support they need to navigate the ever-increasing stress of today’s world.

To learn more about how to bring this technology to your campus, contact Spartan Medical Inc. at RyanArgo@SpartanMedical.com or call directly at 281-782-6781.