A first-year student at IUPUI signed up for CAPS because he was struggling with mental health problems. When he signed up, he was told he could not see a counselor for another week because of the high demand for mental health services.
“When I tried signing into IUPUI’s mental health service,” said the student, who requested his name not be used. “I had to wait nearly two weeks to speak to a professional about my feelings,” he said.
IU schools want to implement faster and easier ways to seek mental help.
Pamela Whitten, the president of Indiana University, announced a new partnership on Jan. 31 with TimelyMD, a mental health service provider centered on college students.
TimelyCare, the mental health platform for TimelyMD, allows for 24/7 access to emotional support and crisis management. The program allows students to connect with providers who will meet their emotional needs.
According to Whitten’s newsletter, “Written by Whitten,” TimelyCare will begin to be released to IU campuses in late March and can be accessed both virtually and in person, but will be available to everyone in the summer.
“By late summer, undergraduate and graduate students on all IU campuses, as well as IU Online students, will have free access to TimelyCare,” Whitten said.
The student struggling with mental health issues said the new program means he can get help quicker than before.
“Now that I know of this new service, I feel safer,” he said. “Now I know my needs can be met at the time I need them.”
Brianna Rusin, a first-year student at IUPUI, views TimelyCare as a major boost for college students and allows for a fast and straightforward way to seek help.
“College students are the biggest targets for mental health, so I see this as a big step in the right direction for college campuses,” Rusin said. “Being available all day is monumental for students because who knows when something will go wrong.”
Another first-year student from IUPUI, who requested anonymity, struggles to fit into the college environment as a minority. Having the ability to talk to someone of the same minority group is something that he looks forward to if he needs it, he said.
“I feel that I connect to people who go through a similar experience to me. If I ever feel down, I’m happy to know that I can talk with someone I can empathize with,” he said.
This mental health service relieves a lot of stress from his shoulders as he plans to rely on the program throughout his time at IUPUI.
Trevor Stucker (he/him) is a freshman majoring in Applied Film and Journalism. This is his first year writing for The Campus Citizen.
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