West Texas A&M University is facing a mental health crisis; the Active Minds chapter wants to combat it. According to WT’s chapter adviser, Active Minds is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health among college students.

“It is designed to inform students about mental health issues,” Makaela Webb, a case manager in the counseling office, said. “Encourages students to seek help.”

Active Minds has been looking for members and officers. Applications for officer positions closed on Feb. 16, but membership is still available to all.

“Right now, we’re in the process of recruiting students,” Webb said. “After that, we’re going to be going to the org rally to register as an organization.”

For Active Minds to meet qualifications for being a University-recognized organization, they must have an executive board of officers set up.

“I think the organization would be greatly benefitted to have a set of leaders that can take over; they’d be able to collaborate with each other in some way,” Allan Baltazar, secretary of student support services and aid to Active Minds, said. “They can take care of the organization, making sure it’s headed into the right direction.”

Membership positions are available to anyone. If one has a desire to help spread awareness of mental health, Active Minds is the place to do so.

“It’s an early program that we’re reestablishing on campus, so coming in with an organization that has no members to now students who already [have] shown interest, I think it’s really good,” Baltazar said. ”Hopefully, by the next academic semester, it’ll be set and established well.”

But what need is there for Active Minds? Webb had this to say.

“If you’re not aware, there is a mental health crisis going on,” Webb said. “And as of 2017, here at WT, there has been a 31% increase in students who have been requesting therapy and counseling. At age 25 is typically when students develop mental disorders. So this is the prime time and age to intervene and address those issues.”

Active Minds’ goals are vast, but in the short term, the organization wants to spread awareness; to reach students right on campus.

“My goal is to get students to be comfortable enough in order to address not only mental health within themselves but kind of intervene and help those who are on campus,” Webb said.

Active Minds is an organization fighting for mental health, and part of that stigma is the feeling of needing to hide problems.

“It’s the same thing as going to the doctor,” Baltazar said “We go to the doctor for physical issues, and we’re not often ashamed of that. Making that normalized for mental health issues, it’s important.”

The Active Minds chapter at WT does not currently have an office, but can be reached through their Instagram, @wtamuactiveminds; or by emailing Webb at [email protected] for membership information.