Promoting help-seeking behaviors on campus: a JED campus progress update
As a partner working on the Columbia-JED Strategic Plan, Columbia Health leads initiatives on the charge to promote help-seeking behaviors through de-stigmatization efforts and increase access to resource information (Objective 7). Recently, the working group launched a communications campaign to address barriers to seeking care and promote access to on-campus resources.
The Approach
In order to destigmatize access to mental health and support resources, the campaign positioned help seeking as a positive behavior. Students on the working group shared insights about the common misperceptions they or their peers hold about health care in general and support and counseling, in particular. As a result, the series presented data and messages that countered the myths shared by the students.
Through a coordinated series of posters across campus, digital screens, student media advertising and social media posts shared by Live Well | Learn Well partner undergraduate schools, the campaign kicked off in September 2018, with new messages released monthly and planned through the end of the academic year.
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Slide 1: You're not alone. There's an entire community of people here to support you, including CPS. Each year, Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) clinicians meet with over 5,000 students through individual counseling, drop-in sessions, support groups and workshops. Find out how CPS can help you. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 2: Making an appointment with CPS is as easy as 1-2-3. Call. Phone consultation. In-person visit. Or drop into one of our many satellite locations - no appointment is necessary. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 3: Help comes in many forms. Making your health and well-being a priority. If something feels off, don't ignore it. Talk to you adviser or a friend. Make sure you're sleeping enough and eating balanced meals. Explore coping strategies and other resources with Alice! Health Promotion in an individual session or workshop. Here to Help. Connect with Alice! Health Promotion. 212-854-5453. [email protected]. John Jay Floor 3.
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Slide 4: Individual counseling isn't the only way to get help. Support groups provide a space to connect with both peers and a professional. CPS offers groups for students sharing common concerns, including making peace with food, veterans care, students of color and more. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 5: Help is a drop-in session away. With 10 satellite locations, support is closer than you think. Visit a CPS drop-in location during evening hours. Each year, CPS completes nearly 1,000 visits at its satellite offices across campus. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 6: Care on campus. Medical care is available for you if you need it - right here on campus. Over 80% of students seeking an appointment are seen on the same day at Medical Services. Check the online schedule for availability to see a clinician or walk-in for a nurse consultation. Here to Help. Reach Medical Services. 212-854-7426. health.columbia.edu/medical. John Jay Floor 4.
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Slide 7: It's okay to ask for help. We all need support. 83% of Columbia undergraduate students reported that they'd see a counselor if they were struggling with a problem. We're here when you need to reach out. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 8: Find the right match. Chemistry is important! If you'd like to see a different counselor, just ask. CPS staff bios are available on the Health website. When scheduling your next appointment, talk to the CPS administrative staff about seeing another counselor. Here to Help. Reach Counseling and Psychological Services. 212-854-2878. health.columbia.edu/cps. Lerner 8.
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Slide 9: Support each other. It’s hard to know the best way to help someone in distress. The Alice! Health Promotion training program Friend2Friend can help students learn the skills to recognize and respond to other that need support. Here to Help. Connect with Alice! Health Promotion. 212-854-5453. [email protected]. John Jay Floor 3.
Preliminary Outcomes
Alice! Health Promotion conducted a preliminary survey three months after the campaign launched to understand its reach and effectiveness in providing information about campus resources. 534 students responded to interviews and incentivized surveys between November and December 2018. Preliminary findings indicate a positive impact:
- A majority of respondents reported having seen a message about health or well-being and CPS on campus, 83% and 73% respectively.
- Approximately 94% of students who reported seeing messages agreed that it clearly provided information about seeking care on campus or connecting with CPS.
Although only an initial survey, preliminary results also indicated that at baseline, students who had not seen the destigmatizing messages were already highly likely to seek help from CPS if they needed to, but may be even more receptive to seeking help in some form after seeing these messages.
The working group will conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of this campaign in Spring 2019 using focus groups. They are also working closely with student members to determine how best to build on these insights to reach new students and deepen efforts for returning students in the fall.
About the Columbia-JED partnership
In 2017, Columbia University, in partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED) initiated a comprehensive assessment of undergraduate health and wellness resources at the university in an effort to enhance student well-being. Based on this evaluation, JED recommended 14 key objectives to guide our work in strengthening and enhancing our support for undergraduates. Columbia’s JED Steering Committee then formed working groups to implement initiatives related to each focus area.
Since its inception, the working group implementing Objective 7, led by Dr. Melanie Bernitz, Associate Vice President and Medical Director, Columbia Health and Dr. Richard Eichler, Executive Director, Counseling and Psychological Services, have completed a number of strategic initiatives which are outlined in the Columbia-JED Strategic Plan.