Ohio University, in partnership with TimelyCare, an online mental health services platform, plans to roll out new counseling services in approximately six to eight weeks aimed primarily at serving online and community students.
The new service aims to provide all OU students with immediate access to counseling and psychological services.
Although the Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) office located on the Athens campus is able to support any student, it currently does not provide individual counseling services to students on e-campus or regional campuses, Welfare and said Mark Ferguson, Executive Director of Recreation. , Said.
Ferguson said self-study resources are available on the CPS website for online and local students. Some of the website’s offerings include crisis hotline numbers, opportunities to participate in survivor advocacy programs, workshops for depression and anxiety, and mindfulness tools.
In addition, the Survivor Advocacy Program provides support and referrals for OU students, said Dean of Students Kathy Fahl. For students outside of Ohio, qualified professionals can also provide telehealth services (virtual health visits). They can also offer local referrals to students outside the area, Farr said.
The Office of the Dean of Students will also provide emergency small grants to eligible OU students to help meet their needs. Farr said the grants are not necessarily counseling services, but are closely related to improving student welfare.
No matter which campus you attend, everyone’s needs are different, she said. Farr emphasized the need to provide a variety of resources available because not all students have the same experiences across the university.
Fahl said students enrolled in Ohio Online may have different schedules than those attending the university in person. An online student may have a full-time job, live in another state, have a family of their own, or be between the ages of 18 and 22. there is.
“We want to provide as much variety as possible to meet all of these unique needs and make sure that students are properly referred to the resources they need,” she said.
Ferguson said TimelyCare provides students with 24/7 access to crisis support based on a variety of needs. He said there are six individual counseling sessions available to students. Additionally, because Timely Care is online, each counseling session is conducted via telehealth appointment.
TimelyCare has counselors in every state and country to support students wherever they are. Ferguson said the service will also provide a peer community and self-paced resources similar to CPS.
“No matter where students are, they can receive support through this service,” he said.
Funding for the new service currently comes from state funds designated to provide mental health services, Ferguson said.
Paul Castellino, director of counseling and psychological services, and Kathy Wilson, senior director of affinity programs and student engagement, said timely care is inexpensive and does not require students to purchase traditional insurance. Stated.
As new programs become available, CPS will work closely with TimelyCare to determine when in-person and telehealth services are needed to provide the best care for students, Ferguson said. .
am157219@ohio.edu
