State of Wellness & Mental Health townhall recap

On Feb. 27, 2024, Dr. Sherrá Watkins, associate vice president for student health and wellness, along with health and wellness directors, provided a comprehensive overview of student wellness data, updates from health and wellness departments, and an opportunity for input from the university community.

 

Survey Findings 

To promote transparency and ensure the campus community remains informed about student well-being, Dr. Watkins shared insights from two comprehensive surveys: the National College Health Assessment and the Healthy Minds survey from 2023. Key findings included shifts in student perceptions of health, safety, mental health, and access to resources.  Click here to view the data presented.  

 

Update from Department Leaders 

Leaders from various student health and wellness departments, including Scott McAward, the director of the University Counseling Center; Brittany Badger, director of the Center for Campus Wellness; Gillian Nelson, associate director of the Student Health Center; Christine Anderson, director of the Center for Disability and Access; John MacDonald, director of Campus Recreation Services; and Torrence Wimbish, program manager of the Mental Health First Responder, provided updates on ongoing and upcoming services and programs designed to enhance student well-being. 

New Services and Programs Include: 

• Hired psychiatry residents to provide mental health services within primary care at the Student Health Center 
• Introduced nutrition services by Campus Recreational Services 
• Launched the Mental Health Peer Educator program at the University Counseling Center 
• Established the Wellness Navigation Program at the Center for Campus Wellness
• Expanded the UReachpeer mentor program for neurodiverse students at the Center for Disability and Access 

Additionally, Dr. Watkins outlined future projects to enhance the student health and wellness experience, streamline processes, and gather community feedback.  

Of Note: 

• Moving the Center for Disability and Access to the Student Services Building to create a co-located with the University Counseling Center and the Center for Campus Wellness 
• Plans to conduct focus groups to obtain qualitative data
• Create health literacy programs 
• Evaluate recruitment strategies of health and wellness staff 
• Revise the JED campus committee into a permanent faculty and staff group offering input on campus health and wellness trends, issues, and initiatives

 

Continuing the Conversation 

Students, faculty, and staff are always welcome to reach out to Dr. Watkins, whose door is 'always open' for those with questions, experiences to share, and feedback to improve resources and services. 

“Your experiences guide us in shaping our health and wellness services and resources to better meet your needs," said Dr. Watkins. "We lean on you to tell us how we need to adjust, so lean on us and let us know how we can support you best." Students, staff and faculty can also provide feedback by completing the survey.  

General questions and comments can also be emailed to  WellnessAtTheU@utah.edu.