CANYON, Texas — The more than 153,000 students in Texas A&M University System schools—including West Texas A&M University—now have access to TELUS Health Student Support, a free, confidential mental health care app.
TELUS Health Student Support gives students 24/7 access to mental health help via telephone or chat. Students can also make counseling appointments for short-term support via telephone or video.
“Studies show that about 75 percent of students who are struggling with depression or anxiety are reluctant to get help,” said James Hallmark, vice chancellor of academic affairs for the 11 universities in the A&M System. “We hope this app makes it easier for students to take the first step.”
TELUS, which is available in Android or iOS, is not only available when students need it, it’s also accessible where ever they are. The app can be installed and set up in just a few short steps and allows students to connect with a professional counselor any time they want.
Through the app, students can talk to a counselor via text chat or phone call, with services available in multiple languages including Spanish, French, Mandarin and Cantonese. Other languages may be available by request. Students can even schedule a limited number of repeat sessions with the same counselor if needed.
“We are excited about expanding psychological services to even more students through this powerful partnership supported by our Texas A&M University System Board of Regents,” said Dr. Chris Thomas, WT vice president for student affairs.
Other features include an educational media library covering a variety of mental health-related topics, anonymous assessments for conditions like depression, anxiety and drug use, and even access to guided meditations and fitness sessions.
On-campus students and 100 percent online will have several options that will provide mental health care, said Dayna Schertler, WT senior director for student health and wellness.
“This is a great addition to the services already offered at WT and throughout the System and will provide an additional safety net needed for students who may not be able to meet with a counselor during office hours at the Student Counseling clinic,” Schertler said.
Hallmark thanked Chancellor John Sharp and the A&M System Regents for investing in the new mental health care benefits.
“Mental health is key to student success,” Hallmark said. “College can be stressful, it’s a transformative experience, after all, but students today are more willing than ever to seek the help they need and we are very glad to be able to be offering it to them.”
For more information, 806-651-2340 or visit wtamu.edu/student-support/counseling-services/index.html.
Putting people first is a key principle of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.
TAMUS Contact:
Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
[email protected]
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $7.8 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 23 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.
