Lily Huynh/The Cougar
With the excitement and stress of a new semester comes shopping for supplies and dorm decorations, getting parking permits and figuring out where to get Cougar Cards.
However, one thing many tend to overlook is their mental health. UH has implemented programs and resources for students with mental health concerns.
According to a recent survey by the U.S. News and Generation Lab, 70% of students say they have struggled with mental health since starting college.
Chris Dawe, assistant vice president for student affairs for health and well-being, emphasized that there are steps students can take when they feel down.
“Strategies and protective factors for mental health and overall well-being include sleep, nutrition, physical activity and strong social connections,” Dawe said. “These elements help us establish good health habits and provide support during life’s challenges.”
He also stressed the importance of maintaining strong social connections, as it will help students avoid the feeling of isolation.
According to research by the Pew Research Center, the Coronavirus pandemic was a trigger for worsening mental health globally, a view Dawe agrees with as well.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already rising problem of mental health issues among students,” Dawe said. “The U.S. surgeon general has called loneliness an epidemic, and it’s a particularly large issue in urban areas like Houston.”
Many universities across the country have enacted several programs for their students and have been encouraged to prioritize their mental health.
In 2023, UH reported multiple cases of suicide. Since then, the University has become even more mindful towards students’ well-being.
At UH, President and Chancellor Renu Khator, appointed a mental health task force in the same year to review the University’s mental health services.
“One thing that came out of the suicide cases is that a lot of the campus was really focused on this idea of, how do we prevent suicide and create more mental health on our campus?” Dawe said.
UH was under an external review, consisting of reviewers who looked at the Counseling and Psychological Services and made sure that things were being done openly, said Dawe.
Among the resources offered to students, Togetherall, a peer-to-peer support network, and WellTrack Boost, an app that provides learning modules, skill practice and connections to on-campus and community resources, are ones that Dawe says should be on every student’s phone.
Should a student need additional help, the university’s CAPS provides one-on-one counseling and support.
Additionally, students can access the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and Mental Health Support Line, a 24/7 hotline for mental health support via call, text or chat.
The University is implementing a survey called WISHES to gather data on student well-being and use it to evaluate and improve mental health programs and services.
Current initiatives include becoming a JED campus to prevent suicide and improve mental health, centralizing CAPS for better access and creating a crisis response team with licensed clinicians to support students in crisis.
They are also rolling out a resource guide or “green folder,” for all faculty and staff to help them support students in need.
It will offer mental health training like question, persuade and refer, and Mental Health First Aid to equip the campus community with skills to support students.
UH also plans to embed counselors in various colleges across campus to improve access to mental health services.
“We’re working with a number of the colleges and going to add more embedded counselors, so they’re not just in Health 2,” Dawe said. “This will make it more accessible and easier for people to get support wherever they are.”
