Estevan Garcia: Absolutely. So I think you hit the nail on the head. There’s a couple of things that come to mind. One is that the way we’ve traditionally looked at mental health support has always been kind of a secondary thing, right? You have to have some kind of need, and then you go and get some help.
What we’re trying to do now is change that paradigm, where we say, “No, actually, you can get help regardless of whether you’re in crisis or not.” So we’re really trying to change the narrative around mental health from this kind of crisis-driven model, where, “I’m in crisis, let me go get help,” to, “I have some needs, let me go get help,” and that is really changing the way we’re approaching mental health support.
Now, when we think of historically marginalized communities, we know that there are some significant barriers to care. We know that there are barriers to care for students in general, but when we think about historically marginalized students, whether it’s communities of color, first-gen students, students who are economically disadvantaged, they have additional barriers.
When we think about what those barriers are, it’s not necessarily about the fact that they don’t want help. It’s that they don’t have access to help, or they don’t know where to get help, or they don’t feel comfortable accessing help. So we really have to think about what are those barriers to care, and how do we address those barriers to care, because if we don’t, we’re never going to be able to meet the needs of the students who need it the most.
So that’s where we really have to think about, “Okay, what are the unique needs of these students, and how do we meet those needs?” Whether it’s providing culturally competent care, whether it’s providing care in a way that is accessible to them, whether it’s providing care in a way that they feel comfortable accessing, all of those things are really important. And that’s where we have to really think about, “How do we meet those needs?”
And it’s not just about saying, “Hey, come to my office and I’ll help you.” It’s about really thinking about what are the unique needs of these students, and how do we meet those needs in a way that’s accessible, that’s culturally competent, that’s appropriate for them. And that’s really where we have to focus our efforts.
Inside Higher Ed: And I’m curious, when we’re talking about mental health support, especially on college campuses, what are some of the strategies that institutions can implement to better support students, whether it’s preventative measures or responsive measures, what are some strategies that you’ve seen work well?
Estevan Garcia: So, I think there’s a couple of things. One is that we have to really think about how we’re meeting students where they are. So what I mean by that is, we have to think about, “How do we bring mental health support to them, rather than making them come to us?”
So when we think about, “How do we bring mental health support to them?” we have to think about embedding mental health clinicians in places where students are already at. So whether that’s in the student center, whether that’s in the residence halls, whether that’s in the academic departments, wherever students are already at, that’s where we need to be. So we really have to think about, “How do we bring mental health support to them?”
And that’s really important, because if we’re always saying, “Hey, come to the counseling center,” that’s a barrier. So we really have to think about, “How do we bring mental health support to them?”
The other thing we have to think about is, how do we provide care in a way that’s accessible and appropriate for them. So whether that’s providing care in a way that’s culturally competent, whether that’s providing care in a way that’s appropriate for their needs, whether that’s providing care in a way that’s accessible, we really have to think about, “How do we meet those needs?”
So those are some of the strategies that I think are really important, is thinking about, “How do we bring mental health support to them, and how do we provide care in a way that’s accessible and appropriate for them?”
Inside Higher Ed: Thank you so much for sharing those insights with us, Estevan. I think those are really valuable strategies for institutions to consider as they work to better support their students’ mental health needs.
Estevan Garcia: Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure to talk about this important topic.
So if a student needs more support, they have that direct link to the broader mental health resources on campus. This personalized and targeted approach allows us to meet students where they are at and provide them with the specific resources they need to thrive in all areas of their lives. It’s about creating a culture of wellness and support that is accessible and tailored to each individual student’s needs.
For example, in the engineering and computing school, we know that those students might not be as likely to come to the central hub for counseling services, so having an embedded clinician in that space allows for easier access for those students who may need support. It’s about meeting students where they are and making mental health resources more accessible and integrated into their daily lives.
Additionally, we have also implemented virtual counseling services for students who may not be able to come to campus or prefer to receive counseling remotely. This allows us to reach even more students and provide support in a way that fits their needs and preferences.
Overall, our goal with integrated services is to break down barriers to mental health care and provide support to students in a way that is convenient and accessible for them. By embedding clinicians in different spaces across campus and offering virtual counseling options, we are able to reach a wider range of students and ensure that they have the support they need to thrive in their academic and personal lives.
We are not just there to provide direct services to students, but also to be a resource for the campus community as a whole. By being embedded in these different spaces, we are able to gain a better understanding of the unique needs and challenges that students face in those specific environments. This allows us to be more proactive in our approach to supporting students and to provide more targeted resources and interventions. Additionally, by building relationships with faculty and staff in these areas, we are able to collaborate more effectively and ensure that students are receiving the holistic support they need to be successful. Overall, being embedded in these spaces not only benefits the students and the campus community, but also helps us grow as clinicians and better serve the diverse needs of our students. We want to make sure that they have access to care and resources to help them succeed, so we’re looking at where those needs are greatest and placing embedded counselors in those areas. It’s a process that we’re constantly refining and evaluating to ensure that we’re meeting the needs of our students effectively. I think having that open communication and collaboration is key to success in embedded counseling roles. It’s important to enjoy wearing many hats and being flexible in your role, as well as having a passion for mental health literacy and education. Building relationships and trust with faculty and staff in the spaces you work in is crucial, as well as being intentional about caring for the staff in those spaces. Overall, being proactive and supportive in your approach can lead to a successful and fulfilling experience as an embedded counselor. Estamos teniendo reuniones individualmente, y estoy trabajando de manera muy intencional para asegurarme de que sientan el apoyo y cuidado que sentirías si estuvieras en este centro principal.
Dentro de la Educación Superior: Hemos hablado un poco sobre cómo tu posición es nueva, y hay muchas cosas nuevas sucediendo en el campus en cuanto a la consejería integrada y embebida. ¿Hay algo más nuevo que no hayamos mencionado y que quieras compartir?
Creo que, en general, la consejería embebida es una iniciativa muy importante, y estoy muy contento de que la Universidad de Carolina del Sur esté buscando maneras de expandirla. Estamos explorando una variedad de opciones. No sé si hay una solución única para todos.
He hablado con muchas personas maravillosas que desempeñan el mismo papel que yo en otras universidades de los Estados Unidos, tratando de informarme sobre cuáles son las mejores prácticas y lo que he aprendido. Sigo llegando a la mesa diciendo: “No creo que haya una solución única para todos”.
Hay tantos componentes sutiles en lo que significa estar en algunos de estos espacios y hacer este trabajo: lo que vamos a hacer en la Escuela de Computación e Ingeniería es muy diferente a lo que vamos a hacer en un centro para estudiantes de primera generación. Realmente he apreciado entender la flexibilidad que necesitamos tener y cómo vemos esto.
Creo que la Universidad de Carolina del Sur está mostrando mucho interés en esta idea de que queremos cuidar a toda la comunidad de Carolina, y queremos ser muy estratégicos en cómo lo hacemos. Creo que a medida que avancemos, podremos seguir recopilando datos realmente buenos que muestren los beneficios de esto.
Hablo mucho sobre la prevención, y me encanta esta idea de “permítanme tener una conversación con alguien antes de que esto se convierta en un problema tan grande que ahora lo esté sintiendo físicamente en mi cuerpo, déjenme saber que es muy normal que durante los exámenes finales, esté realmente luchando y me sienta abrumado”.
Creo que una de las cosas que los consejeros embebidos pueden hacer realmente en estos espacios es normalizar muchas preocupaciones para los estudiantes, profesores y personal, y luego resaltar también el componente de concienciación sobre la salud mental de cuándo necesitamos tener algunas conversaciones y simplemente cuidarnos mutuamente, y cuándo alguien necesita terapia. Creo que es algo realmente poderoso que debemos abordar a medida que avanzamos, y que creo que la consejería embebida va a ser parte de, es realmente reconocer eso.
La afirmación que ha surgido mucho es que nunca podríamos contratar a suficiente personal para satisfacer la necesidad, y creo que lo que estamos haciendo es tratar de reconocer que somos conscientes de las necesidades. ¿Cómo podemos normalizar, cómo podemos ofrecer habilidades? ¿Cómo podemos ofrecer todas estas cosas desde el principio, para que los estudiantes se sientan capacitados y equipados para navegar lo que necesitan para ellos mismos, y confiar en que cuando necesiten un nivel más alto de respuesta o servicios más individualizados, o uno a uno, puedan confiar en el cuidado que recibirán, pero también confiar en su capacidad para cuidar de sí mismos cuando puedan, o confiar en que también podrían tener una conversación con un miembro del profesorado o del personal? Porque toda la Universidad de Carolina del Sur se preocupa por la comunidad de Carolina.
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