Extensive research shows that untreated mental health conditions can be a significant predictor of academic success outcomes, and with marked increases in depression, anxiety, and stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for accessible mental health care services for students in higher education settings has never been more prominent. While many colleges and universities throughout the country are able to resource their own counseling centers on campus, often community or state colleges like St. Petersburg College (SPC) do not have the infrastructure to provide such services internally, and thus look for external partners.
In the June of 2020 and in response to the COVID pandemic, leadership at SPC recognized the need for more efficient and accessible mental health care access, with a major focus on partners that can ensure students’ privacy was respected, safety ensured, and quality care delivered. After running a thorough RFP process, it quickly became clear that prioritizing a telemental health provider that focuses on the higher education population is not only going to offer access to mental health services, but also ensure that students’ academic needs are met.
Mantra Health, a digital mental health health company that aims to increase access points to evidence-based mental health care for college students to improve academic and life outcomes, began working with SPC students in November 2020. Enrollment numbers immediately surpassed expectations for SPC leadership, proving the college’s thesis of unmet need across the SPC student population, despite minimal marketing efforts to encourage utilization. Two-thirds of students also reported that the services provided by Mantra helped them better stay on track with their studies and other academic requirements.
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