In the past five years, UMass Lowell has increased its investment in mental health by adding telepsychiatry services for students who would benefit from medication and more than doubling the staff of mental health providers, says Deborah Edelman-Blank, director of Counseling Services.
- Individual Counseling: If you have a mental health or substance use concern, you can get a first appointment with a mental health clinician at the Wellness Center either the same day or the next business day. Counseling Services now has Black, Latinx, South Asian, biracial, nonbinary and queer providers, with therapy available in English and Spanish. There is also a confidential resource provider for students who have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence or stalking.
- Telepsychiatry: Once you see a counselor, you can be evaluated online within a few days by a psychiatric provider who will assess your medication needs.
- Counseling Referrals: If you have a condition that requires specialized treatment, such as a serious eating disorder, Counseling Services can help you find a specialist. Students can also use Welltrack Connect, a database that can help you find in-person or teletherapy services, based on your needs and your health insurance.
- Group Counseling: You can sign up for weekly group counseling sessions run by Counseling Services staff. Some are aimed at specific groups. This semester, there’s a group for students who identify as women and another for those who identify as LGBTQ+; next semester, a group is planned for students of color. Counseling services also offers couples counseling.
- Student Assessment Response and Support (STARS): Any member of the university community who is concerned about a student’s mental, physical or academic health and safety can file a STARS report through an online form. A member of the university’s behavioral intervention team will reach out to the student in a timely manner; however, in an emergency, University Police should be called first at 978-934-4911.
- 24/7 On-Call Clinicians: The university offers a 24-hour telephone service at 855-890-2879, staffed by clinicians, for any student who is experiencing a mental health crisis. Family members, friends, faculty and staff with concerns about a student can call 855-890-2879, too. “They may have already saved some lives,” Edelman-Blank says.
- University Police: For mental health emergencies, University Police can be reached 24/7 at 978-934-4911.