Brandeis has announced a new partnership with The Jed Foundation, a mental health advocacy organization assessing the needs of and providing support for hundreds of schools across the country. The partnership aims to increase support for student mental health initiatives and address the needs of the student body amidst a growing national mental health crisis among college students and young adults. 

In 2023, The Jed Foundation reported servicing 5.6 million students across 444 colleges and universities. According to a campus impact report on their website, the foundation aims “to help colleges and universities ensure that they have comprehensive systems, programs, policies, and support in place to prioritize student mental health, reduce risks for suicide, and create systemic change in their campus community.”

Dr. Addie Wyman is the director of the Brandeis Counseling Center and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. In a Dec. 4 interview with The Justice, Wyman discussed trends the BCC is observing, as well as what mental health professionals nationwide are doing to address the issues of college students. Wyman shared that, at Brandeis, “anxiety is the number one reason students come to the counseling center.” She noted that this issue is not unique to Brandeis, but is shared nationally. 

However, she did share statistics indicating greater utilization of mental health services among Brandeis students. Nationally, approximately one in 10 students seek mental health support on their campuses, as opposed to one in four at Brandeis. Wyman noted that some of this may be attributed to the BCC’s high number of staff and availability. Additionally, according to data from the New England College Health Association, Brandeis students reported higher levels of depression, as well as lower senses of belonging. “Something’s going on at Brandeis that’s unique,” said Wyman, alluding to various factors as to why Brandeis students may be struggling with these issues on a larger scale.

“I’ve been asking people for money,” said Wyman, mentioning donations the BCC has received from alumni to support mental health initiatives at the University. She believes this is indicative of the community’s support for mental health initiatives and that “the buy-in is there.” For the partnership between the BCC and The Jed Foundation, Wyman specifically mentioned a generous donation from philanthropist Sabrina Gracias, founder of the Ortus Foundation, which seeks to create systems of mental health support for teens and young adults. Wyman said that in the future “we might be looking to the community for more asks.” 

When asked about the University’s support of mental health initiatives, Wyman said that the school was receptive and looking to make mental health a priority. She specifically mentioned University President Arthur Levine ’70, who she described as a “major support [who] genuinely cares about students and student wellbeing.” 

At the end of its assessment phase, Jed will share recommendations with the University as to what they can do to support student needs. The collected data will be presented by staff from The Jed Foundation and reviewed by a taskforce that Wyman helped establish, consisting primarily of BCC staff as well as a faculty representative. 

Wyman also stressed the importance of “having students at the table, making decisions, weighing a student perspective” as part of this new initiative. She mentioned the importance of listening to students of historically marginalized identities when gathering input.

While the BCC has yet to make any changes as a result of the partnership, Wyman pointed to some of the center’s recent changes after gathering student feedback. She cited the counseling center’s move to an initial consult model where students can schedule meetings with counselors who then assess the student’s primary issues. In the past, Wyman said that this process was much lengthier and more in-depth. The BCC has also moved to online scheduling for appointments, another change suggested in students’ feedback. 

The Healthy Minds Survey, which was sent to students in an email on Nov. 10, is a part of this partnership, to assess Brandeis’ needs. The BCC is encouraging student engagement with this survey, as Wyman says it is critical in helping the center make needed changes. “We really do use student feedback to make changes and drive programs,” she said. The BCC has also invested in prizes for students who complete the survey to incentivize their participation. The prizes include MacBooks, AirPods, priority room selection appointments and gift cards. 

Wyman also discussed the link between student mental health support and enrollment, and how this partnership has intersected with some of the University’s other efforts to increase enrollment, such as President Levine’s plan to reinvent the liberal arts. Wyman shared that she has discussed the partnership with mental health professionals at other schools and noted a positive correlation between schools that use The Jed Foundation as a resource and those with higher enrollment numbers. In other words, offering strong mental health services is a positive draw for prospective students. When mental health support is strong, “that’s when students excel academically,” Wyman said. 

Ultimately, Wyman believes that this partnership will work to serve the Brandeis community in ways that best address its specific needs. She is excited to hear what students have to say and what recommendations they will be making, and feels that “times are changing, mental health needs are shifting, so we need to be evolving too.” This new partnership, Wyman said, will hopefully push the University to create a better space of belonging for students — not only addressing mental health needs, but fostering a greater sense of community and an inclusive campus for all.