Student Support postcard 1

Tarleton State University Students can now access mental health support through the TELUS Health Student Support app (formerly My SSP), an application that provides a resource library, phone and chat support, and short-term telehealth counseling.  This service comes at no additional cost to students.

Through the recent addition of TELUS Health, students have access to a robust, curated resource library with a wealth of content addressing the many domains of wellness. Resources include articles, podcasts, videos, and more, on topics ranging from mental health to physical health to relationships and more. Students can also access support through phone or chat, and they can do so in a variety of languages.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to offer this resource to our campus community” said Caris Thetford, Director of Tarleton’s Student Counseling Services. “Over the past several years as demand for mental health support has risen, Student Counseling Services has worked hard to meet that demand in flexible and creative ways.”

Tarleton recognizes the importance of student wellness services. During the pandemic, telehealth services were launched and continue as a flexible, virtual connection point for students. Thetford noted that these newer options work alongside traditional in-person options. She shares, “We’ve added informal support options including workshops, skills groups, and consultations to our traditional counseling options.”

Students can access the TELUS Student Support App online through myssp.app or through the Student Support app in Apple or Android operating systems. The Student Support app services include a phone number and texting option will further increase access options for students. TELUS Health does not replace existing resources, it enhances them. Tarleton’s Student Counseling Services will continue to offer its 24-hour phone number and its campus-wide work toward student wellness. As Thetford shared, “We’re still all over campus providing outreach, training, and workshops; We’re still providing group and individual counseling. We’re glad to continue our efforts while the TELUS provides resources and short-term telehealth counseling for students who aren’t able to come to one of our centers or who maybe aren’t interested in traditional counseling but would still like some support.”

“Tarleton joins several other campuses in Texas that use TELUS Health to provide additional layers of support to students. We’re encouraged by the promising results including this flexible and accessible option to support student wellness,” said Dr. Diana Ortega-Feerick, Interim Vice President for Student Engagement & Success. “Students who may not access traditional counseling for a variety of reasons are accessing the Student Support app when they need support. This resource helps reduce barriers because it’s available anytime, anywhere, in many languages.”

“We also recognize that there are many paths to wellness, and traditional counseling is only one option,” said Thetford. “At the end of the day, our goal isn’t just to provide counseling. To paraphrase Dr. Michael Yapko, a clinician whose work influences ours, our goal is to expand wellness. That doesn’t happen exclusively in a counseling session. Getting resources into the hands of our students, resources that are available 24/7, supports this goal.”

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