Therapy, Health Services, & Psychoeducation for Students
Comprehensive Planning for Campuses
Kognito Health Simulations (opens new window)
Kognito offers simulation training that can be used to assist faculty, staff, and students in developing the appropriate techniques for having meaningful impactful conversations with students in distress. A number of articles and studies provide a substantial evidence-base for their program. One article, from the Journal of American College Health (opens new window) concluded that "Kognito training appears to be effective, on a large scale, in educating users to act in a facilitative role for at-risk college students." Kognito offers the ability for institutions to purchase a system wide license at a negotiated rate or individuals may purchase licenses for up to fifty people starting at the rate of $25 per module per person.
Living Works: Start (opens new window)
Start is a one-hour training that is suitable for anyone, aged 15 and older, with or without formal training. The training will teach you a four-step model that is designed to keep someone safe from suicide. Simulations are provided that will allow you to apply what you have learned. Support and safety resources are accessible over the course of the training. Additional content is provided based on location, needs, and background of the trainee, but all users will receive the same core skills training and information. The training has been evaluated by third-parties who have found that Start: "Improves trainee skills and knowledge, Improves trainee readiness and confidence, (is) Safe and effective for trainees as young as 15 years old, Meets SAMHSA's tier three evidenced-based training criteria, and (is) Based on best practices in online curriculum development." The training is available at a cost of $20.
QPR: Question. Persuade. Refer. (opens new window)
QPR offers a variety of trainings, but for the purposes of this page we will focus on their online "Gatekeeper Training" for suicide prevention. This training is listed with SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidenced-based Practices and Policies. It takes about 1 hour to complete, provides information on suicide, and teaches basic helper skills. Attendees will receive an electronic copy of the QPR booklet and a wallet card. The training cost per individual is $29.95 and includes the e-book "Suicide: the Forever Decision" by Paul Quinnett, Ph.D. Individual discounts are available to students, members of the military, and government workers. Special pricing for organizations is also available.
Campus Rx (opens new window)
Bringing technology to a growing student population, Campus Rx was designed to serve campuses without a student health center or as a supplement to campuses who have one. Students have access to board-certified physicians at any time day or night, for non-emergent medical issues, from just about anywhere in the U.S. Physicians can diagnose, provide a doctor's note, and call in a prescription. In addition to offering telemedicine, Campus Rx also offers tele-counseling services with master's level counselors at the same level of accessibility as their telemedicine services. Immediate crisis support is also available. Connections can be made via a computer with a web cam or available Apple and Android compatible apps. Campus Rx is offered at a flat $8 per month rate for students and includes unlimited use of physicians and the behavioral health counseling program. Each plan has a one-time signup fee of $9.95. No contract or commitment is required. Institutions can also offer access at a discounted rate via a coupon code.
Everfi (opens new window)
Everfi is a digital learning platform that offers a wide range of online training programs geared towards both students and faculty. For students they offer trainings on such topics as mental well-being, sexual assault prevention, alcohol and prescription drug use prevention, and diversity. Additionally, they offer targeted trainings for Greek Life and athletic students. Faculty offerings include harassment & discrimination prevention, diversity & inclusion, sexual assault training, and protecting youth (preventing child abuse and neglect). Everfi also offers several free webinars on various topics relevant to their prevention mission for campus professionals. A further resource offered by Everfi is the Campus Prevention Network (CPN) which is designed to help colleges and universities tackle important issues like mental health and substance use. The network counts over 1,700 higher education institutions as members who are utilizing CPN to improve their campus communities and promote their health and safety measures.
My SSP (opens new window)
My SSP (Student Support Program) provides confidential access to professionally trained counselors without an appointment, 24/7, via voice or text. They help college students who are struggling with mental health or college related stressors. Students whose institutions are enrolled in the program can access this service instantly and at no cost.
ProtoCall Services (opens new window)
Protocall Services is the nation's top provider of telephonic behavioral health services. This 24/7 service provides callers with crisis intervention and stabilization. They can serve as support for an existing counseling center or healthcare provider. They're able to provide assessment and referral services, assessing the need for hospitalization and referring to less restrictive care when needed. If hospitalized, they can provide clients with post discharge follow-up appointments. They offer integration with electronic medical records, data tracking, and are 100% HIPPA compliant. Cost varies according to an organization's needs and volume, please contact ProtoCall directly for customized pricing.
Sanvello: On-demand Help for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression (opens new window)
Sanvello is a highly rated app for helping people to cope with anxiety and depression. Sanvello is grounded in proven behavioral techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices. It is offered for free, but a premium full access version is available for $8.99/month or $53.99/year (Sanvello is offering free premium access during the COVID-19 crisis.) Additionally, some private health insurance plans will cover the cost of the premium version.
Silver Cloud (opens new window)
Silver Cloud is the only evidenced based virtual therapy program available. Helping over 240 organizations, including higher education institutions and being the primary provider for Britain's National Health Service. They are backed by 17+ years of research with 30 peer reviewed studies to date. Their programs include learning modules for self-help related conditions such as issues with stress and resilience. Modules are fully interactive and can be completed over an 8 to 10 week period. Available on all devices, modules offer exercises in mindfulness, interactive journaling, and mood or lifestyle charting among others. Clients with anxiety, depression, co-morbid mental health conditions, and co-occurring mental and physical health conditions receive another type of program, asynchronous coaching. Coaches are master's level or higher mental health providers who will communicate with clients via messaging through the Silver Cloud platform. Over 50 researched backed assessment tools are available such as the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Clients that are high risk for suicide are flagged so they may be immediately put in touch with the appropriate level of care. Cost of the service varies based on the size of the organization and which programs are needed.
Talk Space (opens new window)
Available on all devices, Talk Space offers virtual access to licensed mental health providers for both counseling and psychiatry. Their program will match you to a provider that best fits your needs and once matched, you will be working with that provider for the duration of your treatment. Clients can message their providers whenever they need to and providers will respond up to twice a day, if more is needed, a video chat will be arraigned. The program starts at $65 per week. Additionally, some private health insurance plans will cover the cost of the program. The website provides an eligibility tool to help you determine if the program is covered by your plan.
TAO: Therapy Assistance Online (opens new window)
Developed by Dr. Sherry Benton, a former director of counseling for a large university, Therapy Assistance Online (or TAO) was created for the purpose of decreasing the amount of time a student waited before they were able to receive help for a mental health related issue. TAO is an interactive platform that provides access to effective researched strategies to help manage anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health issues. It offers two main sources of help for students: For low risk issues, students can access TAO's self-help modules and related educational materials. For high risk issues, the platform allows students to access professional help via online therapy sessions. Additionally, the platform offers tools that can be used by administrators to track treatment efficacy and utilization. A mobile app is also available for both Apple and Android users. The platform is offered at approximately $1/student/year. There is a one-time setup and training fee of $1,500. They also offer a single sign on (or SSO) option for a one-time fee of $1,000.
The Center for Koru Mindfulness® (opens new window)
An evidence-based mindfulness program developed by Duke University psychiatrists Holly Rogers and Margaret Maytan. They offer a curriculum for young adults, including college students, designed specifically to teach mindfulness meditation and stress reduction practices. In addition, they offer a certification program for providers that they can use to establish Koru Mindfulness programs at their university. Students who completed the Koru Mindfulness curriculum reported feeling calmer, better rested, more mindful, and had improved self-compassion.
Timely MD (opens new window)
Built from the ground up for higher education, TimelyMD offers virtual on-demand access to a diverse range of medical and mental health providers. They offer things like "TalkNow" which is 24/7 access to a support and crisis management service, "MedicalNow" offers 24/7 access to medical professionals for low acuity medical issues, a service designed to cut down on unnecessary ER visits. "Faculty and Staff Support" provides a dedicated phone line for faculty/staff to use for guidance on how to help students in distress, and "Peer Community" a 24/7 inclusive and positive support system for students.
Well Track Connect (opens new window)
Well Track Connect (formerly The Shrink Space) is an online service that is designed to help students find and connect with a therapist that will meet their behavioral health requirements. The service is fully HIPPA and VPAT compliant. Data provided by this service is designed to provide understanding of student connection status with referrals in the community, thus helping to ensure that counseling centers are providing continuity of care. The cost of the service varies by therapist and can be covered by a student's health insurance. Some therapists also offer a sliding fee scale.
Well Track Boost (opens new window)
Available via an Apple or Android app, Well Track Boost helps students to better understand their mental health and provides them with immediate help. Using a suite of online courses and tools that employ facets of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Well Track Boost assists students in identifying, comprehending, and addressing the issues they are experiencing. The app is available for free with in-app purchases for expanded features at the rates of $12.99/month or $134.99/year.
Togetherall (opens new window)
Formerly known as Big White Wall, Togetherall is an anonymous, clinically managed, evidenced based, peer-support online community that inspires participants to be open about what's on their minds. To gain knowledge and insight about themselves and process what may be causing them to experience stress and worry. Self-assessments are available along with qualified providers, 24/7, to give crisis level support as needed. Togetherall provides online courses on various mental health topics and clinicians can assign an online course to a student and track their progress. The service is offered at $1 per student/per year.
Porch Light (opens new window)
Available for Apple and Android devices, Porch Light is an app designed to help people connect on many levels. Unlike most social media platforms that mainly tell you what others are doing, Porch Light will tell you how others are doing. It's ideal for college students who have left home for the first time in that it allows regular check-ins with parents who themselves are adjusting to life without their kids around. A simple emoji driven dashboard allows users to keep track of how each of their contacts are feeling in real-time. Users can also text, call, and FaceTime their contacts within the app if additional support is needed. The app itself is free with in-app purchases as follows: a 30-day free trial, then $9.99 after that, or you can pay $19.99 for 3-months.
Unmasked (opens new window)
Available for free on both Apple and Android devices, Unmasked is an anonymous, mental health social media app for college students. Users can post on the main message board, comment on posts, and direct message each other. While the app is anonymous, in the event of a serious perceived threat to self or others, it will provide law enforcement with access to personally identifiable information. No one directly associated with the app can access user data and all user data is encrypted. Moderators, who have received Mental Health First Aid training, will regularly review app content.
Healthy Minds Network for Research on Adolescent and Young Adult Mental Health (opens new window)
The Healthy Minds Network hosts a national on-line survey of college student mental health. It was introduced in 2007 by the University of Michigan's School of Public Health, in partnership with the Survey Sciences Group. To date, about 300 campuses across the country have participated in this important research. The survey examines a variety of mental health issues among college students, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thinking, disordered eating, substance use, self-injury and social support. It provides data on help-seeking behavior and barriers to help-seeking and informs planning of mental health policy, wellness education, campus-based mental health care and crisis intervention. Further, it examines the dynamics between mental health and other factors, such as academic performance and substance use. Finally, the survey supports the development and evaluation of programs to promote wellness, teach early identification strategies and encourage help-seeking. The cost to participate in the survey ranges from $550 for community colleges up to $5,500 for large institutions of 15,000 or more students. Custom questions and specialized data reports can be accommodated at additional cost.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Interactive Screening Program for Institutions of Higher Education (opens new window)
Developed to help high risk students connect to campus counseling centers, the Interactive Screening Program or ISP is a method of reaching students before they are in crisis by providing an easy, efficient, safe way for students to research services that are available to them and to connect with a campus-based mental health provider. ISP is available via a partnership between an institution and AFSP which will lead to the creation of the institution's own ISP website where students will be able to take brief mental health related questionnaires, receive a personalized reply from a campus-based counselor, exchange messages with the counselor, receive encouragement and feedback, and make appointments at the institution's counseling center. Links to published studies demonstrating the success of ISP are available on the AFSP's ISP website along with a link to an "interest form" and information on how to implement ISP on your campus.
MdLogix: Behavioral Health Works (opens new window)
Behavioral Health Works (or BH-Works) is a program that can be accessed from any device connected to the internet. The program is designed to help organizations with the tools they need to provide behavioral health services to any location. Tools such as access to over 100 different assessments like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, tools that help connect clients to the appropriate resources, and tools that can track treatment outcomes. Empirical support for some of BH-Work's areas of operation can be found at the Center for Family Intervention Science at Drexel University (opens new window). The cost of the program can vary depending on what components are being used and can range from $2/student/year up to $8/student/year. The program is also offered as a software as a service (or SaaS) option at the minimum cost of $2,400/for a small campus (under 1,200 students) after which it is an additional $2/student/year at the minimum with the total price being based on the total number of registered students. A one-time fee of $2,500 per site/location is assessed for implementation costs.
American College Health Association - National College Health Assessment (opens new window)
This nationally recognized research survey is designed to help campuses collect specific data on their students' health habits, behaviors, and perceptions. The survey allows for the mapping of a wide range of health-related issues including, substance use, sexual health, nutrition, mental health, and personal safety. It takes about 30 minutes to complete and is available in either an on-line or paper version. Cost for the survey can range from $0.43 to $0.86 per student for the on-line version and $0.55 to $1.00 per student for the paper version (an additional processing/scanning fee along with a reports package fee is also charged for the paper version).
PRO motion (opens new window)
PRO motion is a cross-platform application, developed by clinicians for clinicians and schools, that allows for the seamless administration of any mental health screening survey or Patient Reported Outcome measure to athletes, students, and patients. Results are presented in easy-to-understand categories such as green, yellow, and red-flags. Pricing is based on the type of setting, size, and your campus's specific needs. They can also offer grouping (conference, district, or health system-wide). Once a license is purchased by your organization, individual users will be able to use the app for free.
You at College (opens new window)
Developed in cooperation with Colorado State University, You at College is a comprehensive platform designed to improve student grit and resilience. It is a wellbeing portal that is always available to students via any device. The platform focuses on three domains: Succeed (academic and career success), Thrive (physical and mental health), and Matter (purpose and connection). Students complete assessments based on these three domains and resources are suggested based off their responses. Individual data is confidential, but administrators can use de-identified accumulated data collected by the platform to monitor campus progress and look at areas for improvement. A study (PDF/1.11 Megabytes) that looked at the efficacy of the You at College program, at two institutions in the California State University system, found that the program was able to produce a remarkable impact and reach within a few months. Cost ranges from $1 to $3/per student based on the campus's total enrollment. There is also a one-time customization fee of $5,000.
The Glow Media Project: Mental Health Education for a New Generation (opens new window)
Glow Media is a nonprofit organization that was created by a parent, Trish Glowacki, after she realized that there was a need for improved education in mental health. The organization has been working to reduce the misconceptions and stigmas that surround mental health issues and reinforce the fact that mental health impacts us all. The site offers free resources, films, and companion guides for each of their films along with a free "How to" guide on how to use and apply their films.
The Jed Foundation (opens new window)
A nonprofit organization created by Donna & Phil Satow following the death by suicide of their youngest son "Jed" in 1998. The Jed Foundation strives to protect the emotional health of America's teen and young adult populations through collaborative efforts with schools and higher education institutions. In addition to offering the JED Campus Program (cited below), they offer several free programs for campuses including:
Mental Health is Health (opens new window) A program designed to increase awareness of the pervasiveness of mental health issues and link students to the proper resources.
Love is Louder (opens new window) A support project designed to help people who feel misunderstood, hurt, or lonely. Using modern forms of media, they are working to boost the message that love speaks louder than the voices, either internal or external, that can cause pain.
Seize the Awkward (opens new window) Concerned about a friend who is struggling with their mental health? Reaching out to support them is important. Here is some helpful advice to start the conversation. This website includes brief-videos and a campus toolkit for implementation.
Set to Go (opens new window) A program designed to help young adults prepare themselves for life after high school, whether they're going to college or straight into a career.
Ulifeline-Resources for College Mental Health (opens new window) An anonymous, confidential, online resource center, where college students can be comfortable searching for the information they need and want regarding emotional health.
JED Campus Program (opens new window)
A program designed to promote positive system-wide change on campus via a decisive four-year partnership with JED. JED Campus will lead schools through a collaboration of program and policy development with specialized assistance to improve upon currently used policies for suicide prevention, mental health, and substance use. The program is based on the United States Air Force Suicide Prevention Program, of which peer reviewed articles supporting this strategy include: Risk of Suicide and Related Adverse Outcomes After Exposure to a Suicide Prevention Programme in the US Air Force: Cohort Study (PDF/.104 Megabytes) and The US Air Force Suicide Prevention Program: Implications for Public Health Policy (PDF/.552 Megabytes) The cost of the program is $35,000 (one-time payment for the full four years which is due at the start of the program) plus the cost of two administrations of the Healthy Minds Study which is about $5,000. Financial assistance is available.
Guardian Case Management Software (opens new window)
Guardian is an all-inclusive software designed by case management professionals to simplify case tracking. The software is compatible with other campus platforms like Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERPs) and Student Information Systems. It can be used to manage things like behavioral intervention, disability services, Title IX, and campus safety. The software can be used to create intake forms and workflows. There is a student access portal and it's mobile friendly. A case study (opens new window) from Cygnis Media shows additional features and screen shots. In order to meet demand, Guardian is scalable and can be purchased for one price regardless of the number of departments using the software. On average the software costs $6,500 annually with an additional one-time setup fee of $4,000.
Maxient (opens new window)
Maxient is a cloud-based easily accessed comprehensive behavioral recordkeeping program for colleges and universities. It is used by more than 1000 higher education institutions each day. The program offers student conduct reporting and tracking for things like student discipline, academic integrity, care and concern, and Title IX. An evaluation (PDF/.084 Megabytes) by the judicial affairs department at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona showed that Maxient was able to help them to identify areas where they could improve and they were hopeful going forward that Maxient would help them have a better understanding of conduct issues their students faced. There are several factors that go into pricing, including both the initial and annual costs, please contact Maxient directly for customized pricing.