Nuns' social work schools form church workers for 'justice-based society' in India

The Arizona Arts Rx program at the University of Arizona connects students experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness with arts and cultural experiences, from glassblowing to theater performances, as a complement to traditional mental health care. In its first year, the program generated 131 referrals and achieved an 80% show-up rate. Participants report feeling reduced anxiety, less loneliness and better overall well-being.

Penn State's Collegiate Recovery Community offers peer-based support to students recovering from substance use disorders on a campus where party culture is deeply embedded. Founded in 2011, the program provides peer support groups, 12-step and SMART recovery meetings and a sober living house. The program's director attributes its success to peer relatability, as students sharing the same campus, pressures, and life stage can connect and build a supportive community.

Tuttleman Counseling Services and the Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic at Temple University offer a variety of mental health services for students on campus, from counseling to yoga and substance use support, serving 30,000 students across the campus.

The Bridge Peer Counseling Center provides 24/7, free, anonymous counseling to students, by students. The student counselors are trained in crisis response and volunteer over 30 hours each week to keep the center running, ensuring mental health support is always accessible on campus.

“Grow your own” programs, like Reach University’s, are working to address teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas, by recruiting school employees who don’t have college or education degrees and giving them a chance to earn an undergraduate degree in education at just $75 a month. Participants take courses online and take 15 hours out of their work week to spend time observing and training in classrooms. So far 84% of all parishes across the state have signed up to take Reach trainees, which could put a significant dent in the statewide teacher vacancy issue.

Northwestern University's Curious Life Certificate is a personal development program that teaches students emotional intelligence, habit formation and other life skills. The program addresses rising mental health challenges by focusing on three channels of self-awareness: physical sensations, emotions, and stories, drawing on evidence-based psychological frameworks and cognitive behavioral therapy principles. Pre- and post-program data show participants see an overall increase in their emotional intelligence after completing the courses.

Connecticut colleges are implementing QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training to teach students how to recognize suicide warning signs, ask direct questions like "Are you thinking about suicide?" and connect peers to professional help. Since 2022, over 1,000 people have been trained through Connecticut Children's Youth Suicide Prevention Center alone, with hundreds more trained at individual campuses like Southern Connecticut State University.

Evanston's free Mental Health First Aid training program has equipped 169 residents with skills to recognize and respond to mental health crises. This helps distressed individuals connect to professional resources more efficiently, though challenges remain in ensuring adequate follow-up mental health services are available in the community.

A partnership between Essex Tech North Shore Agricultural & Technical High School, and Local 22 trade union members is teaching students union norms and trade skills early in their career, connecting them to apprenticeships and greater career opportunities. Other states, including Maryland and Louisiana, have similar programs and students report feeling a greater sense of job security and that they can command higher pay from employers due to the expertise gained from the program.

Columbia College Chicago's Student Government Association is taking student mental health into its own hands by organizing programming for students, by students, such as therapy dogs and culturally relevant support groups to promote mental health and wellness for students.