College Students Can Now Access Mental Health Counseling Through Popular Peer Support Platform
BOSTON, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- College students can more easily access on-demand counseling, thanks to a new partnership launching today between the pioneering mental health platform, Unmasked, and the fast-growing social impact venture, Uwill. Beginning with a pilot program at Dartmouth College, the partnership will enable students who use Unmasked to access Uwill's licensed counselors, with whom they can communicate via video, chat, message, or phone.
"When we created Unmasked, we never could have anticipated the challenges that have defined the college experience over the past year -- from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to the country's reckoning with systemic racism," said Sanat Mohapatra, founder of Unmasked. "During a time of ongoing volatility and uncertainty, Uwill's first-of-its-kind platform is enabling us to provide college students with access to licensed professionals, so students can get the support they need whenever they need it."
Research suggests that college students are less likely to seek mental health support if there is a high level of stigma surrounding it at their school. Unmasked, created by undergraduate students at Dartmouth College, was designed to erase mental health stigma on college campuses by providing an anonymous community for students to engage with and support one another. This work has only become more critical in the wake of COVID-19: according to a recent survey conducted by Course Hero and NASPA, the majority of college students are not using campus mental health resources, even though many students have reported increased anxiety due to the pandemic. During this initial pilot, Dartmouth students will have access to a free trial of the Uwill platform through Unmasked.
"Despite an accelerating mental health crisis on college campuses, many students are still unable to access timely counseling and support," said Uwill CEO Michael London. "This is about joining forces with an established student support network to offer students access to licensed counselors -- in ways that are responsive to their preferences and needs."
Designed to empower students by enabling them to choose their preferred counselor and communication style, Uwill is the only secure teletherapy platform to offer a full suite of modalities including video, chat, message, and phone. The company, whose partners in New England include Fairfield University and Bay Path University, is backed by Run-DMC founder Darryl McDaniels, as well as edtech industry leaders including Bright Horizons CEO Stephen Kramer and Princeton Review founder John Katzman.
About Uwill
Uwill is transforming campus mental health by facilitating best-in-class, on-demand counseling for college students. The company's platform, rooted in sophisticated machine learning technology, provides a secure solution for experienced mental health professionals to connect with students through all modalities of teletherapy, including video, chat, message, and phone. With the country's largest network of licensed therapists, Uwill is joining forces with institutions to tackle the mental health crisis and ensure that everyone has access to the support they need.
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