The Texas A&M University System recently introduced the TELUS Mental Health App to students on all its campuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The app services are completely free. Once the TELUS app is downloaded students will have mental health resources at their fingertips 24\/7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With TELUS, students can access the resources they need anywhere and at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investment in the mental health of students will allow them to contact licensed professionals with a minimum of three years of experience via phone call or chat, converse with peers, access articles related to mental health, practice healthy habits and watch featured videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is unfortunately a stigma around receiving mental health resources, but this was not going to stop Assistant Dean of Students-Student Wellbeing Jo Elda Castillo-Alaniz from reaching her goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alaniz has encouraged first-year students to download the TELUS app by scanning a QR Code that directs students to the Apple Store or Google Play Store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have a lot of outreach events and scheduled monthly, mental health awareness events. I recently started a student health and wellness advisory counsel, and we have been talking a lot about marketing and brainstorming different approaches to take,\u201d Alaniz said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the TELUS app is now available for students, the TAMUK Student Health and Wellness Center (SHW) is still offering services for the TAMUK community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Director of Counseling Services Ren\u00e9e E. Weiss believes the TELUS app can potentially solve the cultural disconnection some students may feel with the current staff, and allow for easier conversations; as the app\u2019s resources are available in several languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SHW hopes to use TELUS as an extension to aid in the enhancement of providing students with the proper resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo be able to have students utilize the app as their first step and then connect with us, is a great stepping stone for the [SHW],\u201d Weiss said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weiss added that TELUS offers students the chance to reach out to fellow peers in a separate chat, that chat is monitored at all times to ensure the safety of the individuals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to create a safe and welcoming digital environment, before starting a conversation students can filter out specific key phrases that they may find triggering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a precaution when licensed professionals are connected with a user through TELUS, they may ask a series of questions to assess the wellbeing of the individual, and to determine whether they are experiencing a crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students on campus have helped promote the TELUS app, such as TAMUK Student Body President Jacqueline McClendon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMental health is such a prevalent issue in young people today\u2026I believe in order to be successful academically, [students] must be well mentally and physically. [Students] can\u2019t perform in the classroom if [their] mind isn\u2019t there,\u201d McClendon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TAMUK students who wish to schedule an appointment through SHW can call the center at (361) 593-3991, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThinking about picking up the phone and scheduling an appointment can be really overwhelming for someone. Having this resource right there is convenient, accessible, effective and empowering. [TAMUK\u2019s Student Government Association] has been really advocating for more counseling services on campus and while [TAMUK] has a 24\/7 on-call counselor, this is really empowering that [students] can just have all these resources right here on [their] phones through this app,\u201d McClendon said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To contact the on- call counselor contact TAMUK\u2019s Police Department at (361) 593-2611, students experiencing a crisis are advised to call 911.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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