INDIANAPOLIS — Finals are weeks away for central Indiana college students.
This can be a difficult time for students' mental health.
“We’re almost there. I’m feeling the stress too,“ senior Olivia Coy said. “Just trying to remember why I’m here and what my purpose is.“
Coy wears many hats.
She dances, runs social media for the Health & Recreation Complex and teaches Pilates there as well.
“Whenever I’m stressed out, I hop over to the HRC and get a good workout in," she said.
But Coy is also one of the many college students who struggle with mental health.
Dean for Student Health & Well-being Bridget Yuhas says the demand for mental health services has never been higher.
1 in 5 students at Butler University use the campus counseling services.
“Students are coming. And that’s wonderful. So we want to continue to be able to support the students who need our help in whatever numbers they come," Yuhas said.
Butler is the fourth institution to join MINDful College Connections, a collaborative partnership between counseling centers at universities across Indiana.
Through MCC, Butler can provide additional mental health and wellness services on campus.
“They’re gonna have access to the Nearpeer services, Togetherall services, peer-to-peer support services, and a counselor on campus and an additional mental health and wellness educator," MCC Executive Director Curtis Wiseley said.
Wiseley says nationally, more high school students are involved with counseling and even psychiatric services.
Many plan to continue that care when they move on to college.
“It’s becoming more and more common for prospective students to be looking to universities to be able to continue the mental health support and care they need," he said.
