The month of September has been dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and like many other schools, West Virginia University is taking extra measures this month to reach out to students. Starting this month, a variety of different outreach programs and awareness campaigns across campus are being offered to both students and teachers. WVU is providing several opportunities to seek help as well as training to become better educated on mental health-related issues.Â
One thing that WVU is doing this fall for students is called “Mental Health 101,” a virtual training course designed to help people recognize the signs of mental illness in their peers. They are currently offering two sessions for professors and staff, as well as two sessions for students. For students, these training sessions will be held virtually on September 16th, 5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. and on November 12th, 5:30 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. These sessions will also teach students how they can access other resources on campus such as the Carruth Center and WVU’s Care Team.Â
WVU will also begin offering “Wellness Check-In Days” where students can seek help for a variety of mental health issues and find answers through professional guidance. They will also be offering free screenings for anyone who chooses to do so. As of now, there are two more currently scheduled for this fall, with the first one having already been held on Wednesday, September 9th. The next one will be focused on Eating Disorders and held on Tuesday, October 20th, with the last one being for anyone struggling with Gambling on Monday, November 2nd. These will both be held in the Mountainlair’s Vandalia Lounge & Shenandoah Room from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M.
There are two other events that are being held in support of student mental health this month. The “Color Me Mindful” event is being held on September 16th at the Collegiate Recovery House on campus. A guided meditation will also be held on the 15th at the WVU Planetarium. Both of these events offer students the opportunity to connect with peers and take a break from other stressors that come with student life. Both of these events aim to promote mindfulness and relaxation for the attending students.
WVU Athletics has also taken measures to incorporate mental health awareness into their programs this month. As an organization, they have made sure to offer clinical and psychology services to student-athletes, which can provide a variety of resources such as counseling, education seminars and support groups. This aims to help student-athletes who struggle with the pressures and overwhelming nature of collegiate sports. The men’s soccer team also held a special Mental Health Awareness match on September 7th. There, they provided fans with access to information and resources regarding mental health.
All of these different events, trainings and promotions are intended to give the students at WVU better access to mental health professionals and other resources. September may be suicide prevention month but these are the kind of events and actions students hope to see continue into the later winter months. WVU is making sure to take care of its students; their efforts to help inform and reduce the stigma around receiving care for mental health issues are admirable, and we hope that this is just the beginning.