Back to school event raises awareness about student mental health
Student health and counseling services representative Rachel Kawren smiles for a photo in the #4MIND4BODY event at CSUSM’s forum plaza on August 28, 2018.
September 14, 2018
Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) along with the HOPE and Wellness Center organized CSUSM #4mind4body to educate students on the importance of healthy minds and bodies.
Cherryl Berry, Mental Health Educator at CSUSM said, “We [SHCS] always want to be a part of weeks of welcome because we always want students to be aware of their physical and mental health. We want students to know about our services at SHC S.”
The event took place on Tuesday, Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the USU Arcade and Forum Plaza. #4mind4body included campus and community partners who provided information about stress, sleep, exercise and diet and nutrition. Each partner had an activity, such as games or giveaways, to engage students and to provide them with information about various resources and tips.
According to Berry, SHCS and the HOPE and Wellness Center organized about 150 events last year including workshops, presentations and outreach events to inform students about topics regarding physical and mental health and about the resources available to students on and off campus.
“Stigma is the number one barrier why students do not reach out for help when they need it,” said Berry.
“Research tells us that 1 in 5 college students will experience a mental health disorder that is diagnosable in a given year. There are 1,000 students who take their lives by suicide in a given year. And so when we look at college statistics, we know that there is a need for the work that we [SCHS] do and the services that we offer,” said Berry.
The SCHS performs screenings for depression. Counseling services are also available on a first-come, first served basis three times in the morning and three times in the afternoon at the SCHS.
“We want them [CSUSM students] to know that they pay for these services,” said Berry.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and SHCS will host events, such as the film screening of Suicide: The Ripple Effect on Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Students can visit the SHCS located across from the USU for more information about mental health and to obtain resources.