Tanu Henry, Edward Henderson and Lila Brown | California Black Media
As high school seniors across the country graduate and prepare for college, awareness of their mental health is becoming a priority for public health leaders and advocates.
To support students – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, including large numbers of Blacks and other minorities — experts are promoting virtual care as viable option with numerous benefits to address the problem they are now referring to as a crisis on college campuses. Telehealth services can help break down stigma related to treatment and serve as a lifeline. It is also especially important because it increases access to more diverse care providers, they say.
In 2019, 25% of California students reported that they had received mental health care services within that school year for mental and psychological issues, according to the California Budget and Policy Center.
“While the numbers are overwhelming, it is critical to applaud America’s youth – and their trusted support systems – for taking the important first step of recognizing their need for professional therapeutic support,” said Bob Booth, MD, Chief Care Officer for TimelyCare, California’s leading provider for telehealth for college students.
“We can expect a tidal wave of students entering college with unprecedented needs for support,” he added.