COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Studies show that 75% of students who are struggling with depression or anxiety find it difficult to take the next step in finding mental health care.
Now, with a new app from Texas A&M, they hope to give students the opportunity to get the help they need.
More than 153,000 students in Texas A&M university system schools now have access to TELUS health student support, a free and confidential mental health care app.
TELUS health student support gives students 24/7 access to mental health help via telephone or text chat conversation. Students can also make counseling appointments for short-term support via telephone or video.
Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, James Hallmark said, “There’s been a lot of research done over the past decade or two before COVID of concerns of mental health depression rates increasing, anxiety, suicide, those types of concerns have been of increasing importance as we’ve looked at ways, we can help students navigate through college.”
Through the app, students can talk to a counselor via text chat or phone call, with services available in multiple languages including Spanish, French, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Student Analisa Flores was recommended the app by her counselor.
“So far it looks like there’s a lot of resources for students on there but it looks like it can be really useful for us,” Flores said.
Students can even schedule a limited number of repeat sessions with the same counselor if needed.
Flores added, “if I feel like I need it and it’s there for me then I don’t see why not.”
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