Students have many potential sources of stress in their lives: getting along with roommates, navigating job searches, planning for life after graduation – and now, re-adjusting to life on and off campus as pandemic restrictions are lifted.
If you or a friend need help managing these stressors or are struggling with anything that’s affecting your mental health, Stanford has a wide variety of resources to help you access the support you need.
Introducing a new website
Student Affairs recently launched a new, easy-to-use website that outlines the different levels and types of mental health resources available. Students can access any level of resource at any time in person or virtually.
“We want to help students see the full range of options available to them, from connecting with their resident assistant or community associate right there in the dorms to an individual consultation with a therapist,” said Christine Wong Mineta, associate director of communications for student health and well-being in the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
A convenient way to find what you need
Along with the website, matching posters and wallet-size cards with similar information are also available. The website and card include numbers for local and national crisis lines.
“Students can fit the card into a wallet or back pocket, or hand it discreetly to a friend if they need to,” Mineta said. “It’s small enough that they can keep it with them and have it readily available.”
All levels of support
Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, is often the first place students think of when they think of mental health. CAPS offers psychiatry services, crisis intervention, a 24/7 support line, groups and workshops, and referrals to community resources for longer-term care. But while CAPS is an essential part of the university’s mental health services, it is far from the only source of help.
To help students find the help they need, the new website, poster and wallet card are divided into color-coded categories:
Orange: Undergraduate and Graduate Residential Staff, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs
These staff members can often help resolve conflicts with a roommate, coach a student on how to talk to a professor, or help with the adjustment to Stanford. They are also trained to refer students to other campus resources if students need a higher level of support.
“Students’ initial instinct may not be to connect with the residential staff, but they may be the ones who know the students the best,” Mineta said.
Green: Bridge Peer Counselors and Well-Being Coaches
Peer counselors are students trained to support other students on a variety of issues.
“Some students might find being able to talk to a peer more comfortable than talking to a counselor or staff member,” Mineta said.
Well-being coaches also provide support to students struggling with issues such as transitions into a new field of study, life changes, or societal issues.
Teal: Weiland Health Initiative
The Weiland Health Initiative focuses on gender identity issues. It offers a blend of education services and mental health and wellness services. It is a confidential resource.
Purple: Confidential Support Team and CAPS
These are both confidential resources. The Confidential Support Team offers support to students affected by issues including sexual assault.
Confidential resources are marked with “CR” on the poster and card. While most university employees are mandated reporters – which means they are obligated to report, for example, a sexual assault if someone tells them about it — confidential resources do not have to report what students tell them except in extraordinary circumstances, such as if someone is in immediate danger.
How to get a poster and wallet-size card
The posters will be shared soon in common areas around campus, and incoming frosh and transfer students will receive the cards at New Student Orientation. If you would like posters or cards, please contact Christine Wong Mineta of Student Affairs at cwmineta@stanford.edu.