A national survey of 96,000 college students across the country in the 2021-22 academic year revealed rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation at an all-time high in the survey’s 15-year history. The results also found only 36% of the student respondents met the criteria for overall positive mental health. Covid has exacerbated this crisis, with even more students seeking or requiring mental health support services from staffs that were already stretched thin pre-pandemic. The presentation will explore the causes behind the dramatic increase in student mental health challenges and ways in which presidential spouses/partners and their campuses can be more aware of and responsive to students in need.
Emily Pettit, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group
Chair: Mary Domes, Presidential Spouse, Neumann University (PA)