Mel Rising Dawn Cordeiro
Editor-in-Chief
Colleges and universities across the country are attempting to change the way mental health topics are approached. Because mental health is an important topic, a relatively new app called TELUS Health has been launched. They have recently created a Student Support Program, otherwise just called “Student Support,” and as such, have been picked up by many colleges, including RIC, CCRI and URI.
TELUS Health as a corporation claims to be the largest counseling provider in the world. According to their website, they have been in the mental health business since 1974 and are supporting over 20,000 organizations and industries, both private and public.
The recently created Student Support Program is based on Stepped Care principals, meaning that mental healthcare delivery is matched to the individual and the severity of need to ensure the correct service is provided at the right time and place while being the least intrusive and intensive.
The TELUS Student Support Services app connects students to counselors or emotional support via phone, video and chat. This support is provided by master’s-level clinicians who undergo an intensive screening process with reference and background checks.
The app is available 24/7 and can be used to start a chat with a counselor, call a counselor and view resources to learn more about topics such as anxiety, depression and coping mechanisms. There are also self-reported, anonymous health assessments that can be taken to screen for depression, anxiety and addictive behaviors.
One of the most important aspects of this app is that upon registration, it must be made known which school you attend. This is because there is a section in the app that links back to mental health resources available at school, such as counselors, health services, and more. There are even links to the Military Resource center, resident student life, student code of conduct, financial aid information, and information for immigrants or students studying on visa from abroad.
This service is free to all those who are active students and sign up through their school. All information is kept confidential from the school, unless you decide otherwise. All of the self-reported assessments can be repeated and are also anonymous.
TELUS Student Support Program can be downloaded for Android and iPhone using the appropriate app store.
Even though it is in the early stages, this app is very useful to someone who just needs a quick session, or is just looking for some good advice. If you are experiencing an emergency, do not use this app. Instead, call 911 or a family member or friend to help you.
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