Northeastern students say they are burnt out, anxious and isolated and the school is struggling to support them. With the CDC announcing the end of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, many believe mental health issues are less of a concern. However, this may be a misconception, especially at universities in the United States..
Student Voice data reveal gaps in care and in knowledge of campus mental health resources. Students also see professors and advisers as responsible for helping struggling students, while experts recommend a culture of care. Eleanor Lott, a junior studying genetics at North Carolina State University, jumped at the chance to serve on the institution’s mental health task force this past academic year when a friend asked her to participate. Lott was already involved in student government wellness initiatives and had one urgent goal for the task force: “Getting student suicide numbers down as fast as possible just seeing if there were any go items that we could act on in that moment.”