Operators at the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline answered nearly 675,000 telephone calls in July, alone. That’s almost 22,000 calls a day.
Clearly there is a need for help across the US. As the fall semester started this week at Pittsburg State, the university announced a new partnership for free mental health support for students.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
The support is provided by Telus Health, a third-party company developed for college student mental health that now provides a variety of telehealth services to hundreds of universities across the U.S. Students log in using their Pitt State credentials for 24/7 access to master’s level counselors.
They may choose chat, phone, or video options, and it’s completely private. Telus Health can help students with short-time, solutions-focused counseling for challenges related to adapting to a new environment; being successful in school; relationships with friends and family; eating and sleeping habits; and stress, anxiety, and loneliness.
The service also provides students with a more diverse pool of therapists from which to choose. It is available in five languages – English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese – on demand, and 150 additional languages by appointment.
Students still may request in-person counseling with an on-campus therapist through the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas at the Bryant Student Health Center.
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