Supporting students’ mental health is a win-win for students and your school

It’s no surprise that students are under a lot of stress at college. Many are experiencing increased levels of independence, new living and social situations, and elevated academic expectations—all of which can lead to increased stress. Beyond day-to-day stress, some students are dealing with a long-standing or recent mental health crisis. Your students want to reach their academic goals, graduate, and pursue fulfilling careers, but it’s not always easy for them to find the success they are investing in due to barriers caused by untreated mental health issues. By supporting your students’ mental health and well-being, you can improve their academic performance—a win-win for your students and your school.

As an institution of higher education, you already support many areas of students’ wellness, including their intellectual, occupational, financial, and physical well-being. You are in a key position to help students better manage their mental health as well. Sometimes a little support can go a long way for your students who may be silently struggling with mental health issues.

Better mental health improves academic success

Researchers have consistently found links between college student mental health and academic success. A 2020 study published by the American Psychological Association found that students who were clinically distressed increased their GPAs after attending counseling, suggesting that counseling provided to students in need can increase academic performance and even retention.

Students want and need mental health support, but they face barriers 

Mental health is one of the top four health and wellness topics that students are most concerned about, according to a 2019 study on enhancing student wellness. Students were especially concerned about the perceived barriers to accessing mental health care.

One of the biggest obstacles students face is figuring out where to turn when they need help. As a school administrator you can make information about counseling services readily available and widely publicized, such as how to schedule a visit with a counselor, how to access off-campus mental health resources, and what services are covered by student insurance. School-wide awareness campaigns can play a dual role in that they also help to reduce the stigma associated with accessing these services.

How to promote mental health awareness at your school

There are many ways to promote mental health resources at your college. Whether your students are on campus or learning from a distance, you can use an online campus outreach strategy to reach more students in less time, using fewer resources. A subscription to CampusWell includes an easy-to-use digital platform that allows your student affairs departments to aggregate their wellness efforts into a single, student-facing site. Departments across campus can use this space to promote workshops, events, and blog posts about mental health, while connecting students to the proper resources.

Help your students achieve lasting wellness with CampusWell 

To help supplement your own wellness efforts, CampusWell provides your school with  engaging and relatable mental health content that is accessible to students 24/7.  We pride ourselves on our commitment to publishing high-quality, evidence-based health and wellness content that your students can trust. From our ever-popular “Ask the psychologist” column, to our new guided audio meditations, we help you give students practical and accessible tools to relieve stress, manage anxiety, and ignite lasting behavior change so they can thrive emotionally and academically.

In addition to our mental health content, we cover other areas of student well-being that directly or indirectly impact their mental health, including relationships, finances, fitness, and nutrition. All of these topics work together holistically to support and empower students to take care of themselves and others.