Michigan Universities Partner with Uwill to Expand Mental Health Support for Students

• By Kristal Kuykendall
• 12/23/21

The Michigan Association of State Universities has announced a partnership with Uwill, a teletherapy solution specifically designed for students, to provide on-demand counseling services to its 15 public universities across Michigan. 

Designed to expand capabilities of on-campus counseling centers, Uwill’s solution connects students with a proprietary team of licensed available counselors based on their unique needs and preferences.

Uwill — which provides teletherapy services to colleges around the globe including Massachusetts state school system, New Mexico State, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, University of Maryland and others — uses proprietary technology to match students with licensed counselors on its platform, immediately connecting them based on student preferences using all modalities of teletherapy (video, phone, chat, and message), with 24/7 emergency access, group sessions, live events, and more. 

“Throughout the past two years, it’s become clear that supporting student mental health is a top priority for institutional leaders across the state of Michigan,” said the association’s CEO, Daniel J. Hurley. “As we work to serve a broad range of nontraditional and traditional learners, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college, Uwill’s approach and technology will enable Michigan’s public institutions to provide on-demand counseling that meets the unique needs of our students.”

Nationally, researchers and health experts continue to raise alarms about student mental health. A study published by the National Institutes of Health in late 2020 reported that the COVID-19 pandemic was bringing into renewed focus a rise in anxiety and depression among college students, with 71% of students surveyed describing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depressive thoughts. 

As the pandemic dragged on into 2021, those numbers grew more dire: according to an April 2021 survey by BestColleges.com, 95% of college students have experienced negative mental health symptoms as a result of COVID-19-related circumstances, and almost half of students surveyed believe the mental health effects have negatively affected their education.

Suicide was already considered the No. 2 leading cause of death among people ages 10–34 before the pandemic, reported the National Institute of Mental Health; the pandemic has made student mental health an even more urgent need.

MASU is launching the new access to teletherapy after exploring new ways to support mental health needs across its member campuses, which serve a diverse population of more than 270,000 students. 

“At a time of ongoing uncertainty, state and institutional leaders alike are recognizing the critical importance of mental health support in helping more students persist and succeed in their education,” Uwill CEO Michael London said in a news release. “Together with MASU, we’re creating new opportunities for students across the state of Michigan to receive the support they need to navigate their educational journey.”