Expansion of Point Park University’s initiative to improve mental health and suicide prevention on campus aims to be more proactive and meet a growing need.
“We want to make mental health more visible, accessible and more a part of everyday campus life,” said Cassandra Moffat, director of the university’s counseling center. “We’re really wanting to make this more of a systemic change.”
Nationwide, nearly 77% of college students reported moderate to severe psychological distress, according to the 2024 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment.
“Nationwide, we’re seeing an increase in the number of college students experiencing anxiety, depression, burnout and stress,” Moffat said.
At Point Park, there have been 6,294 attended appointments to the counseling center, by 784 students, since the fall 2022 semester, which can include screenings, crisis appointments, consultations and therapy, Moffat said.
“We are a heavy liberal performing arts school,” Moffat said. “I do think that brings in its own unique stressor.”
The counseling center plans outreach goals and expansions as part of its Let’s Talk initiative to meet the need of mental health, Moffat said.
Staff and student leaders, like resident assistants, will be trained in QPR — Question, Persuade and Response — suicide prevention. Administration learned how to tend to mental health calls outside of counseling center hours, she said.
“It’s meant to look at, how do we ask questions about suicide, and how do we navigate the conversation if a person or student says they’re suicidal?” Moffat said.
Point Park also plans additional outreach and expanding crisis services as an extension of the counseling center, Moffat said.
“Sometimes, the most powerful interaction is letting students know they’re not alone,” Moffat said. “We’re hoping the Let’s Talk initiative will allow us to say to the campus — students, staff and faculty — we all care. We’re all here to support each other.”
Funding comes from a $50,000 grant from the Citrone 33 Foundation and will last for two years, Moffat said.
Moffat believes the increase in students’ mental health needs comes from the aftermath of the covid-19 pandemic and isolation, and their struggles with social comparison through technology and social media.
“We’re not always taught, how do we cope when we’re feeling anxiety, or how do I know to ask for help? We’re not always taught to have these conversations,” Moffat said.
Better mental health leads to more positive outcomes for students, Moffat said, such as increased retention rates and academic success.
Moffat believes the expansion will bolster its recent designation as a PA Cares Campus by the state’s Department of Education. Colleges earn the honor by adopting student mental health and suicide prevention plans.
Students and faculty will be able to provide feedback on the Let’s Talk initiative, Moffat said.
“Our idea is to adjust it to the needs of our campus community,” she said. “We want to get a feel of what students need.”