Dear members of the Dartmouth community,
This time last year, President Beilock and Provost Kotz launched the Commitment to Care strategic plan and, along with it, a pledge to make student mental health a priority at Dartmouth.
I am proud to serve as our institution’s inaugural chief health and wellness officer and as the senior leader overseeing this work.
Our campus has made significant progress across many elements of the commitment, as we shared in May, and our approach continues, importantly, to be data-driven and student-centered. A few of these recent achievements are outlined below, as are ways you can join and support our ongoing efforts and programs.
Finding the Resources Students Need
Organized across eight dimensions of wellness, the new Mental Health and Wellbeing website aims to make it easier for all students—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—to identify and navigate available resources. The website can also be a valuable tool for faculty and staff who support students. In the coming months, you may notice updates as more content is developed and we make this the best resource that it can be. We are working to establish a process by which our community can propose future additions and enhancements. The students who have assisted us thus far have made invaluable contributions.
Expanded Teletherapy Services
Starting this fall, 50-minute appointments through Uwill are available at no cost, expanding an offering that was previously available in 30-minute increments only. This was the direct result of student feedback. Since beginning our partnership with Uwill two years ago, more than 1,700 students have registered to access care and 7,000 appointments have taken place. Furthermore, Dartmouth Counseling Center’s community of providers is more diverse than ever before, as it is through Uwill, to ensure professionals who reflect and can connect with our student body are available on both campus and virtually. Our counseling center provides therapy in eight languages. We also continue to partner with Therapists of Color New England to further meet the needs of our diverse community.
Training for Students and Employees
Over the past two years, with support from numerous offices across campus, our community has benefited from training hundreds of faculty, staff, students, and senior administrators in areas related to student mental health and well-being. The offerings have included Creating a Culture of Care, Campus Connect, Mental Health First Aid, and the ongoing Sexual Violence Prevention Program. Most recently, Dartmouth hosted sessions addressing grief and teaching on days after critical events. The variety and frequency of available trainings will continue to grow, and we are grateful to all in our community who have taken our Commitment to Care seriously by pursuing this personal and professional development.
Up Next for Students: Healthy Minds Survey
On Oct. 29, all Dartmouth students now living in the U.S. will receive an email inviting participation in the Healthy Minds Study survey. This survey is administered at almost 200 colleges and universities across the country and routinely draws more than 100,000 respondents. Last conducted at Dartmouth in 2021, the results informed the creation of our Commitment to Care strategic plan. Results from this year’s survey will inform ongoing and future strategic implementation efforts on campus.
We look forward to sharing more updates with you on health and wellness, including to ensure campus safety and the potential of new, technology-driven interventions. As we make ever more progress on our shared Commitment to Care, we also look forward to continuing our close partnership with student government, student organizations, and colleagues across Dartmouth.
Best,
Estevan A. Garcia
Chief Health and Wellness Officer