The Student Mental Health Innovative Approaches Review Committee established several work teams to advance recommendations in alignment with the charge of the Committee:
- Explore and recommend innovative approaches to addressing student mental health and well-being; and,
- To examine the current resources at U-M and provide recommendations on how these may be improved, expanded, measured for effectiveness, and communicated to those who might need them.
Accomplishments by Work Team
Academic Policies
Academic Calendar modification to extend the break period between Fall and Winter semesters, beginning in the 2023-2024 Academic Year.
Student Engagement
Resource Navigators
Developed infrastructure to sustainably institutionalize the Resource Navigator program as a key centralized information source for campus to support student success.
- Increased staffing within the Campus Information Center (CIC).
- Developed a knowledge base to make effective campus referrals.
Building Faculty Capacity
Expansion of the wellness check-in survey intervention for large introductory courses/programs.
Development of a Canvas Course for Instructors on Supporting Student Mental Health and Well-Being: A collaboration between the CRLT Theatre Program and Center for Academic Innovation.
- Course modules will include topics such as exploring the landscape of mental health in higher education, considering the role of identity in student experience, teaching to support student mental health and well-being, responding to requests for accommodations, supporting students experiencing mild-moderate distress, and supporting students experiencing high distress.
Rationale:
- Provide faculty with asynchronous learning opportunities that include research overviews, embodied case studies, and reflection.
Well-being Academy & Wellness Coaching
Well-being Academy | Curriculum Development & Training
The Academy provides a multi-level framework to support student wellness, which includes 1:1 and group coaching for undergraduate and graduate students and trainings on how to have respectful and helpful conversations about well-being issues.
Implementation of the YBMen Project
The YBMen Project is an educational and social support program for young Black men. Through the project, we can learn about the strategies that influence and shape young Black men’s ideas and experiences with mental health.
- Initial implementation in Winter 2022
- Continued with in-person programming for Fall 2022 and Winter 2023
- Offered 8 sessions of the Cabin Series
Expansion of Wellness Coaching Services
- Added weekly wellness coaching appointments at the Trotter Multicultural Center
- Increased availability of wellness coaching appointment slots
Technology Work Group
Community Mobile App Pilot | Wolverine Life
The Community Mobile App pilot, Wolverine Life, has been extended to continue into Fall 2023. This application contains student facing resources, which have been integrated into University systems. Survey results were mostly positive at both the Beta stage and the current pilot stage.
Third Party Mental Health Applications Inventory
The field of technology solutions is expanding exponentially and there is potential for innovative solutions as well as potential harm if we do not keep this work as an ongoing priority. The Tech Work Group created an inventory of known third party mental health applications utilized on campus. The inventory identified over ten third party applications contracted by Student Life or individual schools/colleges.
You may also view the Accomplishments & Recommendations Summary – Winter 2023 as a PDF.