College can be the most formative time in a young person’s life, as they learn, explore and identify their own values. It can also be a challenging time, and in recent years the mental health needs of college students have become increasingly urgent.
While every campus and every student body is different, many are facing similar challenges, like rising rates of anxiety, depression, eating disorders and substance use — as well as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. College students must navigate a complex landscape of emotional, academic and social challenges.
Campuses across the country are implementing Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for Higher Education as part of their response to these challenges. We sat down with three experts from major universities to ask how they prioritize student mental health.
Meeting Students Where They Are
Lines outside of university counseling centers and health clinics are longer than they’ve ever been, says Dr. Lindsey Anderson of the University of Rhode Island (URI), and students are presenting with more severe and complex issues.
Despite those long lines, Dr. Anderson says, students often are not seeking help when they need it. They may feel that their problems are too hopeless, or that they aren’t serious enough to deserve or require intervention.
In fact, 60% of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health challenge. In all cases, Anderson said, help should be available.
“Mental health can’t fall solely on the counseling center. We all have a responsibility to participate in that conversation and help each other.”
Dr. Anderson
Integrating Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education
At the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Dr. Allison Ford-Wade led a campus wide initiative to embed MHFA instructors across departments — from academic advising, to housing, to athletics. The university’s head football coach, Lane Kiffin, even mandated MHFA training for his staff and promoted it nationally.
All three panelists consider campus integration of MHFA a priority, and all three embed MHFA Instructors across their campuses.
URI was eventually able to offer MHFA as a credit-bearing course, which Dr. Anderson said was a “game changer.” Students are often feeling overloaded with their core classes, extracurriculars and jobs, so offering MHFA for credit increases accessibility and validates mental health education as a core component of student success.
Communities that Care
A college campus is a bustling ecosystem filled with much more than just students and professors. Therefore, mental health awareness needs to extend to all members of the campus community.
Alicia Freeman, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), emphasized the community building that MHFA offers. It does this through connection: between peers, between faculty and staff, and across the entire community.
Those connections can help build a campus-spanning network of support. The more people who are involved with MHFA across campus — whether as Instructors or First Aiders — the more a community of care is created. Student mental health isn’t only a priority in the classroom, but also on the athletic fields, in the dorms and on the quad.
“[MHFA is] a real selling point to our [prospective students’] families, to know that we, as a community, are invested in their wellbeing,” Anderson said.
Investment in Mental Health
Our three panelists affirmed the importance of campus leaders who are invested in mental health education.
Ole Miss, UNC-Chapel Hill and URI each received approval and encouragement from their chancellors, provosts, and other campus leaders to pursue MHFA. That leadership gave them the necessary spark to spread mental health awareness across campus and build a caring community.
“You have to have that campus buy-in,” Freeman said. “And that has to start from the top in terms of infrastructure and support.”
Dr. Ford-Wade agreed: “It takes everyone. It can’t just be one or two people on a college campus to do it.”
Investment in MHFA across the entire campus enables funding and resource allocation, visibility, collaboration and, most importantly, the shift toward shared responsibility for mental health.
Why Choose MHFA for Higher Education
Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education is an evidence-based curriculum trusted by over 650 colleges and universities. It teaches participants how to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental health or substance use challenges.
It’s not just about crisis response; it’s about visibility, prevention and belonging. MHFA for Higher Education can help you build a community of care on your campus.
Who should take Mental Health First Aid?
- All students
- Staff and faculty
- Coaches, trainers and athletes
- Resident advisors
- Student leaders
- Greek life members
Our panelists agree: MHFA should be a foundational part of campus life. As Dr. Ford-Wade said, “I think that everyone that breathes and has a heartbeat needs this training.”
View the full webinar here.
Ready to take the next step? Find out how make mental wellbeing a reality on your campus.
