As new research from Boston University’s Healthy Minds Study shows signs of improvement in college student mental health, with rates of severe depression and suicidal ideation dropping in the past year, universities like Elon University are continuing to expand their efforts to promote student well-being.
At Elon, students and staff can participate in Mental Health First Aid training, a program offered through the National Council on Mental Wellbeing. The course teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among peers and colleagues. Evan Small, assistant teaching professor of wellness at Elon, oversees the program. Small declined Elon News Network's request for an interview.
Janicanne Shane, director of client success for Mental Health First Aid at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, said the program is designed to teach people how to recognize and respond when someone might be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.
“The course, in and of itself, is a way to help people understand somebody might be experiencing something, and you want to meet them in a compassionate moment,” Shane said.
Shane said the training isn’t a medical certification, but rather a guide to offering empathy and support.
“This is more so how to be a comforting place or perhaps a place of encouragement, or a soft place to land for folks when they're experiencing a complex moment, and then how to help them get to the help that they need,” Shane said.
Shane, who was previously a staff member at Duke University, said her time on a college campus revealed just how common mental health struggles are among students. She explained that nearly half of college students in the U.S. report mental health concerns, and many end up leaving school due to those struggles.
“We know that 40 percent of faculty do not feel prepared to talk about mental health,” Shane said. “A program like Mental Health First Aid, particularly our Mental Health First Aid for Higher Education course, really does provide a tool for folks who want to learn how to foster a supportive environment for students to share.”
The higher education version of the training includes campus-specific scenarios and statistics, allowing participants to practice real-world situations they might encounter at colleges and universities. Shane, who is also a certified instructor, said those exercises build confidence and communication skills.
Shane calls the course interactive and emphasizes its hands-on approach to preparing participants for real-world scenarios.
“Giving folks language to use, so that when you or if you do find yourself in a situation with somebody who might be struggling, you're able to call upon the training that you receive,” Shane said.
Elon associate professor of psychology Bilal Ghandour said he has seen firsthand how students benefit from that kind of preparation. Though he is not directly involved with the program, Ghandour said several of his students have participated and found the experience valuable.
“They find it really beneficial to sort of have this hands-on experience,” Ghandour said. “Even if you get to just 10% of what was taught, it is still incredibly valuable, because those could be life-saving moments in situations of distress and need.”
Ghandour, a clinical psychology specialist who maintains a private practice in addition to his professorship, said programs like Mental Health First Aid fit into a larger cultural shift toward normalizing conversations about mental health on college campuses.
“Availability of online counseling, the amount of contacts that we have, has changed in the last five years. I do think that's an advantage,” Ghandour said. “It’s always valuable to seek out help.”
He added that even students without formal training can play a role in supporting their peers.
“The best thing I can tell them is to be very patient before judging someone,” Ghandour said. “Try to understand where the person is coming from.”
Both Shane and Ghandour emphasized that increasing mental health literacy is not just about crisis response; it’s about creating a community of understanding on college campuses.
“Being somebody who knows Mental Health First Aid in a moment with somebody who might be experiencing a challenge could be the moment that they need in order to really seek out that help,” Shane said. “This training helps us destigmatize these conversations and reminds us that we all have a role in supporting mental wellbeing.”