Mental Health Initiatives

The health and wellbeing of our students is a top priority at Georgia Southern.  After all, healthy students are successful students!  We champion programs and initiatives to support students’ mental health. In a collaborative effort, the Division of Student Affairs- the Counseling Center, Student Wellness and Health Promotion, and Health Services- strives to support the physical and mental health needs of those within our campus community through various resources and services. 

Remember, Health Services is available for all your physical health concerns and that Student Wellness & Health Promotion can help you identify positive behaviors and coping strategies related to a healthy lifestyle.

For all your mental health needs, our Counseling Center is available for students at Armstrong, Liberty, and Statesboro campuses. The Counseling Center is your resource for individual therapy, same-day sessions, after-hours crisis response, and drop-in workshops.

In a collaborative effort including Counseling Center, Athletics, Human Resources, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, Office of Student Wellness & Health Promotion, University Communications and Marketing, University Housing, and University Police, the Helping Eagles Recognize distress and Offer Support in the H.E.R.O. Folder materials with information to support individuals at risk for suicide, tools for recognizing individuals in distress and connect them with appropriate resources.  Be a H.E.R.O.  Step In and Speak Out.

How We’re Improving

The University System of Georgia (USG) launched a comprehensive Mental Health Initiative to significantly expand student mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. While USG students have proven to be remarkably resilient during the pandemic, the need for additional on-campus mental health resources has been heightened by the unprecedented challenges students face right now. The funding will primarily expand USG clinical resources to ensure every student has access to telephonic psychiatric care and clinical counseling services.

Expanded services will include a partnership with Christie Campus Health with the following:

• An additional mental health support line for another counseling option with off-campus counselors at no additional cost to you for five sessions.
• Expanded psychiatric appointments after referral from Health Services or the Counseling Center.
• Coordinated local and national mental health resources for students in one place.

Counseling Center

The Counseling Center offers both in person and virtual services to students.Services provided through telemental health include:

• intakes
• individual and relational therapy
• same-day solution sessions
• after-hour crisis response
• drop-in workshops
• Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Trainings: Offered by Counseling Center staff, Offered by USG Staff

Outreach presentations may be offered in-person or virtually based on the number of participants, venue size, and the topic. We have several on-demand outreach and workshop presentations that can be viewed without even leaving your residence.

Student Wellness & Health Promotion

Student Wellness & Health Promotion helps students identify positive behaviors and coping strategies related to emotional wellbeing, physical wellbeing, interpersonal violence, and more. Through interacting with our office, programs and peer educators, we feel students will be able to learn life-long strategies for living a healthy lifestyle. The mission of the Office of Student Wellness & Health Promotion is to foster a culture of wellness that champions an environment focused on the whole person, whole educational experience, and whole institution resulting in shared responsibility for the entire campus.

Health Services

Health Services offers treatment for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, ADD/ADHD, etc. in our primary care clinic. These visits can be scheduled through our on-line system (Eagle OSH). Psychiatric services are also available to students once a student has been evaluated and referred to our psychiatrist by either a medical provider in our primary care clinic or a Georgia Southern Counseling Center psychologist/licensed counselor.

JED Foundation Campus Partnership

The aim of JED Campus is to ensure that schools have comprehensive systems in place in order to prioritize student mental health and create positive systemic change in the campus community. A partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED) to help create a long-term strategic plan while implementing immediate actions and programs to support student mental health on campus. JED provides a comprehensive public health approach in promoting emotional well-being and preventing suicide and serious substance abuse.

Last updated: 4/8/2022