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Mind-Body Interventions for Student health

How Yoga, Meditation, and Breathing Exercises Improve Student Health

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

Mind-Body Interventions: How Yoga, Meditation, and Breathing Exercises Improve Student Health

Late-night study sessions. Mounting debt. Constant pressure to perform. It’s no wonder today’s students are reporting record levels of stress and anxiety. In fact, the American College Health Association’s Spring 2024 national survey revealed that over 76% of students report moderate to high levels of stress, and nearly half experience overwhelming anxiety.

For college health and counseling clinics, these numbers highlight the urgent need for accessible, preventative wellness strategies. And one effective solution lies in mind-body interventions. Practices like yoga, meditation, and controlled breathing help regulate stress while improving physical and mental well-being.

In this blog, we’ll explore what mind-body interventions really are and share practical strategies for bringing them to your campus.

What Are Mind-Body Interventions?

Mind-body interventions are techniques that use the connection between mental focus and physical state to promote healing and resilience. Unlike traditional treatments that address symptoms in isolation, these practices target the underlying stress response.

Some of the most widely adopted include:

  • Yoga: Combines physical postures, controlled breathing, and mindfulness.
  • Meditation: Focused attention practices that calm racing thoughts and improve emotional regulation.
  • Breathing Exercises: Simple techniques like box breathing or diaphragmatic breathing that stabilize heart rate and nervous system activity.
  • Massage Therapy: Physical manipulation of muscles and soft tissue to improve circulation, decrease anxiety, and support overall mind-body balance.

These interventions are low-cost, non-invasive, and adaptable, making them ideal for a higher education setting where accessibility and inclusivity are key.

The Benefits of Mind-Body Practices for Students

The impact of stress on students extends far beyond mental strain. Chronic stress is linked to poor sleep, weakened immunity, and impaired cognitive function which can lead to lower academic performance. By integrating mind-body interventions into campus wellness initiatives, institutions can help students build healthier coping mechanisms that prevent crisis-level care needs.

1. Mental Health Improvements

A growing body of research shows that yoga and meditation significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in college students. One study in the Journal of American College Health found that students participating in an 8-week mindfulness program reported decreased stress and improved mood regulation.

2. Academic and Cognitive Gains

Moreover, mindfulness practices have been linked to better concentration, working memory, and executive functioning—all crucial for academic success. Regular meditation practice can help students feel calmer, more grounded, and better able to manage stressful times like exam weeks.

3. Physical Health Benefits

Mind-body practices don’t just calm the mind; they also improve the body’s resilience. Yoga can reduce back pain from long study sessions, improve posture, and alleviate headaches or digestive issues exacerbated by stress.

Furthermore, breathing exercises can lower blood pressure and improve heart health, overall improving symptoms associated with anxiety.

4. Healthy Coping and Resilience

Instead of relying on quick fixes like caffeine, students can turn to breathing exercises and meditation as practical, on-the-spot strategies.

Whether it’s before a big exam, after a conflict, or during a stressful moment, these practices help build lasting coping skills and resilience.

Practical Strategies for Campus Integration

Bringing mind-body interventions to campus doesn’t have to mean building a yoga studio or adding entirely new programs. Instead, colleges can embed these practices into existing health, counseling, and student life structures in ways that feel natural and inclusive.

Embedding Practices in College Health Clinics

Health clinics are often a student’s first stop when stress shows up as headaches, fatigue, or stomach issues. Clinics can use these moments to introduce students to practical mind-body tools.

For example, a provider might demonstrate a simple two-minute breathing exercise during an appointment or recommend yoga as part of a care plan for stress-related physical symptoms.

On a larger scale, clinics can display calming guided breathing videos in waiting areas, offer digital resources through patient portals, and share recommendations for trusted mindfulness or yoga apps. By weaving these interventions into medical care, students see stress management as part of overall health—not a separate, optional practice.

Expanding Counseling & Wellness Services

Counseling centers are uniquely positioned to integrate mind-body approaches into therapy. Counselors can open sessions with a brief meditation, use breathing exercises to help students ground themselves in moments of high anxiety, or suggest yoga in addition to talk therapy.

Beyond one-on-one care, wellness staff can host drop-in meditation groups or partner with recreation departments to co-sponsor yoga workshops. Training peer wellness leaders to guide short mindfulness practices can also help extend reach and reduce stigma, making these interventions more approachable for students who may be hesitant to seek counseling.

P.S. Check out three experts’ top tips for collaborating with other departments on campus.

Leveraging Technology to Support Mind-Body Interventions

Furthermore, technology can amplify the reach of these practices. With the right tools, staff can easily recommend and reinforce mind-body strategies:

  • Campus EHR systems can deliver post-visit resources or promote upcoming workshops through secure messaging.
  • Automated appointment reminders can include quick stress-reduction tips to engage students before their visit.
  • Telehealth services allow providers to guide students through breathing or mindfulness exercises virtually, ensuring continuity of care.

Key Takeaways

The key to lasting impact is consistency. When students see yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises woven into the fabric of campus life, they’re more likely to adopt them as daily habits. Over time, this builds a healthier, more resilient student body and reduces demand for crisis services.

By supporting both reactive care (counseling sessions, medical visits) and preventive care (mind-body interventions, wellness education), institutions can move closer to a truly holistic  model of student well-being.

Ready to bring holistic care to your campus?

Learn how Medicat’s EHR solutions can help your team streamline care and support a healthier student community.

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Boarding Schools

How 4 Boarding Schools Are Rethinking Wellness

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

How 4 Boarding Schools Are Rethinking Wellness With Medicat

The residential nature of boarding school life presents both unique opportunities and challenges for student wellness. Unlike day schools, these institutions are responsible for supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally within a 24/7 community environment.

To meet these evolving needs, many boarding schools are reimagining wellness from the ground up. Through peer-led support networks, DBT skills groups, and structured life skills programs, they are creating flexible systems of care that reflect the realities of residential life.

In this article, we spotlight four schools that are transforming student wellness and setting a new standard for comprehensive support in boarding communities.

Berkshire School

1. Berkshire School – Developmental Wellness & Peer Leadership

Berkshire School models what it means to take a whole-student approach, embedding wellness into every aspect of the four-year student experience. Their Wellness and Growth Program deliberately develops traits like character, inclusion, and resilience across four years of education.

Through intentional workshops, classroom curricula, and insightful speakers, students gain science-based tools to help them flourish both academically and personally.

Moreover, their counseling services are highly accessible. The school’s licensed clinicians are readily available, and students are introduced to these resources during orientation and campus-wide events.

Additionally, the school champions peer-led initiatives through its Peer Listeners program. These student leaders, trained in active listening and crisis response, host campus-wide events and foster a culture of openness, greatly reducing stigma and encouraging mental health awareness.

Berkshire also incorporates relevant wellness media into its programming, including films and documentaries on topics like substance abuse (“Tough Guise”), gender identity (“The Mask You Live In”), and mental health (“Screenagers”). This strategy helps normalize critical conversations and equips students with coping skills for real-world challenges.

George School

2. George School – True 24/7 Care & Community Support

Furthermore, George School also takes a fully integrated approach to student wellness. The Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) offers a 24/7 staffed facility complete with exam rooms, isolation spaces, and private counseling suites. With registered nurses available around the clock and mental health professionals on call, students have access to comprehensive care whenever they need it.

Additionally, George School partners with reputable organizations like the Jed Foundation for suicide prevention and the Caron Foundation Educational Alliance for substance-use programming. These collaborations reinforce the school’s commitment to evidence-based care, which is especially vital in the boarding context where student needs are often continuous.

George also prioritizes community wellness through engaging events, such as their “Spring into Wellness” Book Fair and mindfulness activations like DIY glitter jars and bibliotherapy. These thoughtful initiatives provide low-pressure ways for students to connect, de-stress, and learn self-care techniques.

Hebron Academy

3. Hebron Academy – Whole-Student, Embedded Wellness

At Hebron Academy, wellness is intentional and interwoven. From orientation onwards, students encounter programming that spans everything from nutrition and sleep hygiene to LGBTQIA+ awareness and healthy relationships.

Weekly meditation and yoga sessions are available to both students and faculty, promoting well-being across the campus community.

Supporting these wellness efforts is a dedicated team and network of services, including:

  • A full-time on-campus mental health clinician
  • A child & adolescent psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Weekly yoga and meditation sessions for students and faculty
  • DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) skills groups

The Student Support Team, which meets weekly, coordinates care plans involving faculty, counselors, and nursing staff—ensuring comprehensive, individualized support for each student.

Wellness is woven into nearly every facet of campus life, from athletics to advisory meetings, reinforcing healthy habits holistically and consistently. This is especially effective in residential environments, where wellness must be accessible and visible at all times.

Hotchkiss School

4. Hotchkiss School – Comprehensive Safety & Life-Skills Framework

The Hotchkiss School exemplifies how boarding schools can create comprehensive wellness environments through systematic programming, extensive training, and clear policies that prioritize student safety and development.

Furthermore, Hotchkiss’s Human Development (HD) program delivers weekly, age-appropriate lessons that evolve over time:

  • 9th grade: Transition support and social-emotional learning
  • 10th grade: Identity development, emotional health, and interpersonal skills
  • Upperclassmen: College preparedness and advanced life skills

Moreover, Hotchkiss focuses heavily on training. Faculty, proctors, and staff receive guided instruction on healthy relationships, consent, bystander intervention, and gender identity.

Weekly “consent talks” led by professional staff demystify policy frameworks and empower students to advocate for their well‑being. Such training and programming cultivate a campus culture where safety, respect, and mental health literacy flourish.

Curious how Hotchkiss is using tech to strengthen student care? Check out the webinar recap featuring their Director of Health Services and our new eMAR in action.

Key Takeaways

These innovative wellness programs highlight what works in residential school communities:

  • Peer support matters. When students are empowered with the right training, it fosters a lasting culture of openness and collaboration.
  • Consistency is key. A mix of daily, weekly, and monthly wellness touchpoints meet students’ diverse needs and schedules.
  • Clear structure builds safety. Policies and training empower students to seek help and trust the system.
  • Support should evolve. Age-appropriate programming ensures relevance as students grow.

As boarding schools continue to evolve their wellness approaches, these programs demonstrate that comprehensive student support requires intentional community building, consistent programming, and keen attention to both individual and collective well-being.

Continue Reading: Learn how schools like yours are using EHRs to deliver smarter, more responsive care.

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Campus Health Clinic

Is Your Campus Health Clinic Ready to Serve Faculty and Staff?

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

Key Considerations by College Size

As colleges place more focus on whole-campus well-being and talent retention, many are asking: Should our health center also serve faculty and staff?

Extending care beyond the student population can strengthen community health, build campus cohesion, and boost the visibility of your clinic. But it’s not a simple decision. From credentialing to capacity, there are important operational, legal, and financial factors to weigh.

Let’s walk through:

  • Key questions to ask before expanding services
  • The benefits and drawbacks of serving faculty/staff
  • How your college’s size and structure can impact the decision
  • Alternative models that allow for flexibility without overextending

Key Questions to Ask Before Expanding Services

Assessing Your Campus Clinic’s Current Capacity

Before expanding services to include faculty and staff, it’s important to evaluate your current operations.

  • Are your exam rooms consistently in use?
  • Do you have sufficient providers to support additional visits without affecting student access?
  • Could extending hours into the evenings or weekends increase flexibility?

Understanding your capacity for space, staffing, and scheduling will help you determine whether expansion is realistic and sustainable.

Credentialing To Bill Employee Health Insurance Plans

Unlike student health services, which often operate under different billing models, providing care to employees typically requires credentialing with commercial insurance plans.

If your clinic isn’t already set up to accept a range of health plans, you may need to:

  • Establish payer contracts
  • Train staff on new billing workflows
  • Implement claims processing systems

These changes can be complex, but they are essential for reimbursement and the financial well-being of your clinic long-term.

Recognizing Existing Informal Care Patterns

Are faculty or staff already asking your providers for quick advice or informal care?
This may indicate both a need and an opportunity. Formalizing those services:

  • Helps clarify provider roles and liability
  • Enhances continuity of care
  • Builds trust in a more structured employee wellness offering

Aligning with Existing Employee Health Programs

If your institution already has an Employee Health or Occupational Health department, take time to assess how your clinic could complement, rather than compete with, those services.

Look for opportunities to:

A strong partnership can enhance the well-being of your entire campus community.

Top Benefits of Offering Faculty and Staff Care

Promotes Campus-Wide Well-Being for Faculty and Staff

When your institution offers healthcare to faculty and staff through on-campus clinics, it demonstrates a strong commitment to holistic wellness. Employees feel supported—and wellness becomes a shared institutional value.

This approach also reinforces existing well-being efforts, such as:

  • Employee wellness programs
  • Campus mental health initiatives
  • Preventive care campaigns

Strengthens Interdepartmental Relationships

Serving faculty and staff creates more natural engagement between the health clinic and other departments. These touchpoints foster:

  • Increased communication across campus
  • More frequent and effective referrals
  • Greater collaboration and buy-in for student health initiatives

By being part of the care ecosystem for all campus members, your clinic becomes a central resource for students and the wider campus community.

Supports Expansion of Services and Staffing

Extending services to employees can help justify:

  • Hiring additional clinical staff
  • Investing in new equipment or telehealth platforms
  • Expanding evening or weekend hours

Demand growing beyond the student population may provide the data and use cases needed to advocate for clinic growth.

Enhances Public Health Efforts on Campus

Faculty and staff are an ideal audience for preventive health programs. Expanding services to employees allows clinics to:

  • Promote flu or COVID-19 vaccination clinics
  • Offer health screenings like blood pressure or cholesterol checks
  • Increase participation in seasonal wellness initiatives

Offers Continuity of Care in a Familiar Setting

For many employees—especially those working closely with students—an on-campus clinic is already a trusted space. By formalizing services for faculty and staff:

  • Care becomes more accessible and less intimidating
  • Earlier intervention is more likely
  • Clinical relationships are strengthened across the board

Challenges to Address Before Expanding

Navigating Insurance Billing Complexities

Unlike student health plans, employee benefits often span multiple networks with varying reimbursement rules. To successfully bill for faculty and staff visits, clinics may need to:

  • Contract with new insurance payers
  • Adapt claims processing workflows
  • Train billing staff on commercial insurance codes and timelines

Without these systems in place, clinics risk delays, denied claims, and administrative strain.

Understanding FERPA and HIPAA Compliance Differences

Student health information is protected under FERPA, while employee health records fall under HIPAA. For clinics serving both populations, this distinction can create compliance risks.

To stay aligned with privacy laws, your clinic will need:

  • Clear protocols for managing records
  • Staff training on confidentiality differences
  • Policies to prevent data mishandling across groups

Assessing Current Clinic Capacity

Before expanding, take a close look at how your clinic is functioning today:

  • Are exam rooms regularly booked?
  • Is your staff stretched thin?
  • Are appointment wait times increasing?

If resources are already tight, serving more patients—however well-intentioned—could affect student access and satisfaction. Consider phased growth or infrastructure upgrades first.

Addressing Credentialing and Liability Requirements

Expanding your scope of care often means navigating new provider requirements. Depending on your clinic’s setup, this could include:

  • Obtaining additional state or payer credentials
  • Adjusting malpractice coverage
  • Ensuring privileges align with expanded duties

These details are essential for compliance, provider protection, and the long-term sustainability of new services.

Tailoring Your Strategy by Campus Size

Small Colleges

Pros:
Smaller campuses often have streamlined communication and a tight-knit community. This environment can make faculty and staff more comfortable seeking care through an on-campus clinic.
Cons:
With limited staff and exam room space, small clinics may struggle to scale services. Without the economies of scale of larger institutions, sustaining faculty and staff care year-round may not be feasible.

Large Universities

Pros:
Larger institutions typically have bigger budgets, more facility space, and existing healthcare infrastructure. Thus, this makes it easier to dedicate specific staff or resources to employee care.
Cons:
Coordinating with HR, compliance teams, and other departments can be more complex. Securing buy-in may require aligning across multiple stakeholders and navigating institutional bureaucracy.

Community Colleges

Pros:
Offering services to faculty and staff at community colleges can help reduce health disparities—particularly in rural or underserved regions with limited provider access.
Cons:
Many community colleges don’t yet have formal health centers, making implementation more logistically challenging. Starting small with limited services or partnerships may be the most realistic path forward.

Flexible Models That Support Faculty and Staff Without Overextending

Seasonal or Event-Based Services

Provide targeted offerings such as flu shot clinics, biometric screenings, or health fairs during specific times of year.

This approach:

  • Keeps staffing needs minimal
  • Helps gauge interest from faculty and staff
  • Supports public health initiatives without overextending resources

Referral and Navigation Support

Rather than becoming a full-service care provider for employees, your clinic can offer:

This model builds trust while allowing your clinic to remain student-focused.

Designated Hours or Staff for Employee Care

If your clinic decides to offer year-round care to employees, consider separating visits by:

  • Designating specific appointment blocks for faculty/staff
  • Assigning certain providers to handle employee care

This preserves student access while ensuring employees receive care respectfully and organizationally.

Key Takeaways

There’s no universal model for expanding college health clinics to serve faculty and staff. But with thoughtful planning and a scalable approach, it’s possible to enhance campus wellness, strengthen institutional culture, and extend the reach of your clinic.

Start by asking the right questions about capacity, policy, and demand. Pilot small programs, gather feedback, and scale gradually to ensure success.

Take the next step in your clinic’s growth: Read our guide on optimizing your college health billing processes.

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Health & Wellness Education on Campus

A Smarter Way to Promote Health on Campus

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

What’s on the Wellness Menu?

A Smarter Way to Promote Health on Campus

Imagine this: A student organization reaches out for a presentation on stress management. A week later, a faculty member requests a session on flu prevention. Then, a Resident Assistant asks for something on healthy relationships. By midterm, your health promotion team is drowning in custom requests, duplicating efforts, and struggling to maintain consistency in messaging.

Sound familiar? That’s why having a structured, easy-to-access health education “menu” can streamline your wellness programming and ensure consistent, high-quality outreach across campus.

What Is a Health Education “Menu?”

Call it a menu, a catalog, or a toolkit—whatever fits your style. It’s a comprehensive collection of well-developed wellness and prevention topics, complete with ready-to-use materials and clear guidance for putting them into action.

Furthermore, campus stakeholders—including student groups, faculty, resident assistants, and student leaders—can simply select a topic from this curated catalog, making the entire collaboration process more efficient and effective.

These presentations typically include:

  • Comprehensive slide decks with presenter notes
  • Handouts and resource lists
  • Interactive activities and discussion guides
  • Tabling resources for awareness campaigns
  • Assessment tools to measure impact
  • Training materials for peer educators or co-presenters

Some institutions have expanded this model by empowering peer health advocates or building cross-departmental presenting teams that include staff from Counseling Centers, Recreation Services, and Academic Success offices—creating a more holistic approach to wellness education.

Why It Works

This structured format isn’t just convenient. It can also help your campus accomplish the following:

  • Time Efficiency: Reduce preparation time for presentations after implementing a standardized wellness menu.
  • Message Consistency: Improved clarity and consistency of messaging across multiple campus audiences.
  • Resource Optimization: Campuses can reach more students without increasing staffing levels.
  • Student Satisfaction: Higher satisfaction ratings for structured programs compared to ad hoc presentations.
  • Assessment Quality: Stronger assessment data reported when using consistent programming formats.

Additionally, structured health education menus help institutions:

  • Align programming with recognized wellness frameworks (like the National Wellness Alliance’s Six Dimensions of Wellness and the Okanagan Charter)
  • Support formal partnerships between Counseling Services, Health Services, Student Activities, and Academic Affairs
  • Empower peer health advocates with clear boundaries and well-designed materials
  • Create predictable touchpoints throughout the student experience
  • Facilitate more equitable access to health information across diverse campus populations

P.S. – Need help promoting these resources? Find five unique promotion ideas here.

What to Include in Your Health Education Menu

Additionally, when creating a health education menu for your campus, provide topics that are high-impact, relevant, and easy to deliver. Here’s a foundational list, gathered from health directors like you and based on trends we’re seeing across campuses nationwide:

Core Topics

  • Alcohol and Substance Misuse Prevention
  • Sexual Health & Safer Sex Practices
  • How to Prioritize Sleep Hygiene
  • Nutrition and Mindful Eating
  • Physical Activity & Movement
  • Consent and Healthy Boundaries
  • Cold, Flu, and Infection Prevention
  • Healthy Relationship Skills (romantic and platonic)

Mental Health & Emotional Well-being

  • Burnout Prevention & Stress Management
  • Homesickness & Adjustment to College Life
  • Building Social Connections on Campus
  • Mindfulness & Coping Skills for Anxiety

Academic & Intellectual Wellness

  • Time Management & Focus
  • Study-Life Balance
  • How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Technology

Financial & Occupational Wellness

  • Financial Literacy for College Students
  • Managing Work and School

Optional Add-ons or Series

  • The Six Dimensions of Wellness Series
    • Emotional, Physical, Social, Intellectual, Financial, Spiritual
  • Peer-Led Wellness Circles
  • RA/Faculty Training Modules

Special Format Options

Tired of traditional, sit-and-listen health presentations? These engaging formats make wellness education interactive, hands-on, and more impactful for participants. Explore these workshop series and interactive activity ideas to keep students engaged:

Wellness Workshop Series

  • The Six Dimensions of Wellness Series (Emotional, Physical, Social, Intellectual, Financial, Spiritual): Each session explores one of the six key wellness areas with discussion prompts, activities, and real-life strategies. Great for helping students understand how different aspects of their well-being are interconnected.
  • Peer Relationship Series (progressive skill-building program): This series can focus on communication, conflict resolution, empathy, and setting boundaries. It’s designed to help students navigate friendships, dating, and roommate dynamics with confidence.
  • Mindful Campus Series (progressive mindfulness skill development): Students can learn and practice mindfulness techniques over several sessions, including breathwork, body scans, and grounding strategies. Ideal for stress management and building emotional regulation skills.
  • Body Positive Series (multi-session body image programming): This series explores media literacy, self-compassion, and inclusive wellness messages. Each session builds on the last to foster a healthier relationship with one’s body and appearance.

Interactive Formats

  • Wellness Escape Rooms (interactive problem-solving focused on health topics): Students work together to solve themed puzzles that reinforce key health concepts (like sleep, nutrition, or consent). A fun and immersive way to engage with wellness education.
  • Health Myth-Busting Events (quiz-show formats for groups): This fast-paced, game-style event helps debunk common health misconceptions through team challenges and trivia. Great for RA events, orientation weeks, or classroom takeovers.
  • Wellness Fairs (multi-topic tabling with interactive components): Fairs bring together multiple campus and community partners to offer resources, giveaways, and hands-on activities. Think spin-the-wheel games, smoothie bike stations, or stress ball DIY tables.
  • Peer-Led Wellness Circles (facilitated discussion groups): Small, supportive groups where trained peers guide conversations around mental health, identity, stress, and more. Encourages connection, validation, and shared coping tools.

Tips for Implementation

  • Template Your Materials: Use a consistent slide deck format, a request form, and a follow-up survey.
  • Create a Shared Folder: Make it easy for peer educators and staff to grab handouts, posters, or tabling talking points.
  • Stay Data-Driven: Use attendance tracking and feedback forms to refine your topics and formats each semester.
  • Pilot Before Scaling: Start with the top 5 requested topics, then grow the menu over time.

Key Takeaways

As a campus health leader, your impact goes far beyond delivering one-off programs—you’re shaping a sustainable system that empowers students to thrive, both now and in the future.

When done intentionally, health education has the power to shift campus culture in meaningful ways. Creating a campus-wide health education menu or toolkit isn’t just a means for organization—it’s a strategic step toward a healthier, more engaged student community.

Ready to enhance health and wellness efforts on your campus?
Explore how you can build a more accessible, inclusive, and effective wellness culture on your campus.

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College Wellness Spaces

Innovative Ideas for College Wellness Spaces

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

Over 40% of college students reported significant symptoms of depression in 2023. In response, student well-being has moved to center stage in higher education, prompting institutions nationwide to reimagine campus wellness.

Today’s colleges and universities are pioneering spaces that go beyond traditional counseling services. From high-tech relaxation pods and biofeedback systems to meditation rooms and sensory-rich environments, institutions are implementing creative solutions that actively support mental health, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being.

In this article, we’ll highlight four campus wellness spaces that are transforming student self-care to inspire new ideas for your campus.

Colorado State University’s Reflection Space

At Colorado State University (CSU), wellness goes beyond traditional health services. The university has created unique spaces that encourage relaxation, stress management, and self-care within their Still Point Reflection Space. The space serves as an area for students and staff to have a dedicated area for meditation, prayer, and relaxation.

The integration of technology and traditional mindfulness practices makes CSU’s approach to wellness both innovative and accessible.

Here are some features of the center:

Relaxation (Nap) Pods
One of CSU’s standout wellness initiatives is its Relaxation Pod, located in the Still Point Reflection Space. Designed for students and faculty to recharge, the pod offers 20-minute sessions that can be booked online or in person at the Health and Medical Center.

P.S. – Research shows that short naps can enhance cognitive function—especially when taken before 1:00PM—making this an invaluable resource for students juggling demanding schedules.

Heart Math: Stress Reduction Technology
CSU also provides students and employees access to HeartMath, a biofeedback device designed to help with stress management. Biofeedback technology has been shown to lower stress levels by helping individuals regulate their heart rate and breathing.

CSU’s Reflection Space exemplifies the university’s commitment to holistic well-being, offering students and staff a place to relax, recharge, and manage stress through a blend of mindfulness and technology-driven wellness solutions.

Hampton University’s SheCare Wellness Pods

Hampton University is another institution redefining campus wellness. The university has introduced SheCare Wellness Pods, an innovative wellness initiative aimed at providing culturally relevant mental health resources to its students.

Highlights of the pods include:

Creative Design
The pods themselves are repurposed freight containers featuring vibrant artwork depicting smiling young women surrounded by flowers, with “Water Yourself, HU!” displayed prominently. Inside, students find a welcoming Resting Room equipped with a lounge bed, comfortable seating, warm lighting, and contemporary art to create a tranquil atmosphere.

Integrative Wellness Offerings
Furthermore, Hampton’s approach to student wellbeing also includes several mindful services including Art Therapy sessions, Sound Bath Meditation utilizing crystal singing bowls, Aromatherapy & Herbalism classes, and a vegan cooking series connecting nutrition to mental health. These diverse resources help students prioritize mental health and develop sustainable self-care practices.

  • SheCare Pod 1

  • SheCare Pods 2

  • she care pods3

  • shecare pods 4

Old Dominion University’s Meditation Room

Old Dominion University offers students a dedicated Meditation Room within the Office of Counseling Services—a private sanctuary designed to support mindfulness practices and provide respite from academic pressures.

Here’s what students can access in the meditation room:

Personal Mindfulness Space
The Meditation Room serves as a quiet, therapeutic environment where students can practice mindfulness and find moments of peace between classes. Each student receives exclusive access during their reserved session, creating a truly personal experience. Students can book thirty-minute appointments through their student portals, ensuring the space remains easily accessible.

Guided Meditation Resources
Furthermore, students also have access to various meditation tools, including specialized meditation cards available within the room that provide different practice suggestions.

For those preferring digital guidance, an iPad loaded with meditation apps can be requested from the front desk. The innovative Reflect Orb allows students to monitor their mood while following guided sessions, creating a more intentional practice.

Multi-Sensory Relaxation Elements
The room features several sensory elements designed to deepen relaxation, including a light projector, a soothing sand garden, and a Breathing Buddha that guides users through the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Additional amenities include an aroma diffuser, ambient speakers, and creative outlets such as coloring books with colored pencils.

UMass Lowell’s Serenity Center

At the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, their Serenity Center offers students a dedicated space for relaxation and holistic wellness, featuring a variety of evidence-based stress reduction tools and mindfulness resources.

Multi-Sensory Relaxation Resources
The Serenity Center provides students with access to numerous therapeutic items, including comfy lounge chairs and bean bags that invite deep relaxation.

For instance, the space features sensory tools like tongue drums of Aztec origin and Tibetan singing bowls that promote stress relief through sound therapy. Essential oil diffusers and sound machines engage multiple senses, creating an environment conducive to mental restoration.

Mindfulness and Creative Activities
Students can explore various mindfulness practices through activities such as coloring, knitting, and journaling.

Additionally, the center offers adult coloring books and journals for personal reflection, along with fidget toys that provide an outlet for anxiety and restlessness. For those seeking more structured engagement, brain teasers and puzzles are available to boost cognitive skills.

Holistic Wellness Elements
Furthermore, the Serenity Center incorporates elements of ancient wellness traditions, including crystals for intention-setting and energy work, alongside LEGO® bonsai trees that symbolize harmony and balance.

Massage chairs offer physical relief, while affirmation cards help students develop positive thought patterns. Unique items like peacock feathers provide both sensory experiences and concentration practice, reflecting the university’s commitment to making diverse wellness options available to all students.

Key Takeaways

These innovative spaces—featuring everything from relaxation pods and biofeedback technology to serene meditation areas—represent a fundamental shift in how institutions approach student well-being.

Combining modern technology with traditional wellness practices, these environments offer students a holistic approach to self-care. As more universities embrace such initiatives, they foster a culture of support that enhances both mental health and academic success.

Want to keep the conversation going? Explore how colleges are rethinking wellness with collaboration and data-driven strategies.

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Peer Support on Campus

How to Bring Peer Support to Your Campus

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

A Guide to Building and Sustaining Successful Programs

Peer support programs have become a vital part of supporting student mental health, empowering students to connect and support one another. These initiatives help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, creating supportive networks where students can openly share their experiences and challenges.

The structuring of these programs can vary, but at their core, they are student-led initiatives that create a safe space for mental health conversations.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of peer support programs and how to incorporate a peer support program on your campus. We’ll also share insights from Clare Kehoe and Lindsey Kilpatrick from Morgan’s Message, an organization shedding light on student-athlete mental health and peer support programs.

But First – Why Are Peer Support Programs So Important, Anyway?

Peer support programs are designed to foster connections among students, allowing them to share experiences and provide mutual support. The structure of these programs can vary, but at their core, they are student-led initiatives that create a safe space for mental health conversations.

Studies show that 20% of college students engage in formal peer counseling, and another 62% of those who haven’t yet used it express interest in doing so. The most common reasons students seek peer support include:

  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Social Life Challenges
  • Loneliness

Moreover, culturally competent peer counseling is especially important, as usage is higher among Black students (39%), Transgender students (39%), and first-generation students (29%). These students often prioritize finding peer counselors with shared identities and experiences.

Not only do students want support, but they also find meaning in giving it. Around 45% of students who provide peer counseling cite “helping others” as their primary motivation. Also, those involved in peer counseling report higher well-being scores than those who do not participate.

A significant portion of students—36%—say that, when facing a serious mental health issue, they would first turn to a friend or romantic partner for support. The desire for peer support has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 48% of students reporting they are now more likely to seek peer counseling. This is especially true for Black students (58%), Latinx students (54%), Transgender students (61%), and first-generation students (54%).

The Advisor’s Role in Peer Support Programs: Dos and Don’ts

Having a staff or faculty advisor is crucial for the success of peer support programs. Advisors provide essential support, strengthen the initiative, and help drive meaningful change on campus. They bridge student-led efforts with the broader campus community, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and securing necessary resources.

Here’s a quick guide to maximize their impact:

Dos for Advisors:

  • Facilitate logistics: Help students reserve rooms, coordinate schedules, and manage event setups.
  • Provide administrative support: Ensure compliance with campus policies and assist with communication across departments.
  • Empower student leaders: Offer guidance without overshadowing or micromanaging their initiatives.
  • Foster collaboration: Serve as a bridge between student groups and campus administration to align efforts with institutional goals.
  • Encourage skill development: Help students build skills in organization, communication, and leadership through their roles in the program.

Don’ts for Advisors:

  • Take over decision-making: Allow students to lead and own their programs to maintain the authenticity of peer support.
  • Limit creativity: Avoid imposing rigid structures that could stifle innovation, collaboration, or enthusiasm.
  • Undermine student voices: Always prioritize and respect student input and lived experiences in shaping program initiatives.
  • Neglect program alignment: Ensure that the program consistently reflects the mission and needs of the campus community.

Focusing on these dos and don’ts creates an environment where students thrive, fostering collaboration and lasting impact through peer support programs.

Maximizing the Impact of Peer-Led Programs

Peer-led initiatives are uniquely positioned to address a wide range of student needs, from fostering inclusion to supporting academic and emotional well-being. To ensure these programs reach their full potential, campuses should focus on four key strategies:

  1. Empower Students and Those with Lived Experiences to Lead: Student-led programs are uniquely positioned to address broader issues that impact student engagement and inclusion. Unlike staff-led initiatives, these programs often offer group activities, academic support, and opportunities to foster community connections, making them a cornerstone of holistic well-being on campus.
  2. Provide Comprehensive Peer Support Training: While all students involved in peer support programs should feel adequately trained, there is a demand for additional resources. Training that focuses on systems navigation, cultural humility, and addressing specific mental health experiences—such as psychosis or self-harm—can empower student leaders to point fellow students towards critical support.
  3. Adopt a Trauma-Informed Approach: Ensuring that programs are trauma-informed is critical for supporting student mental health effectively. Peer leaders often express the need for tools to redirect students in crisis towards accessible and thoughtful support options that will help, not further harm, their peers.
  4. Invest in Peer Support Programs: Sustainable funding is essential for growing and maintaining impactful peer support initiatives. These programs not only enhance campus well-being but also expose students to potential careers in mental health, creating a ripple effect of positive change. Investments in educational resources and inter-campus collaboration efforts can further expand the reach and effectiveness of peer support programs.

Strategies for Success

Peer support programs thrive when they engage students in meaningful activities, such as mental health education games or mindfulness workshops. These events help students build skills to manage stress while fostering openness and reducing stigma.

Collaboration across campus is another critical factor in amplifying these programs’ impact. Partnering with other groups allows peer-led initiatives to influence broader policies and create a unified approach to student well-being.

For example, at UMass Lowell, Morgan’s Message inspired the Athletic Director to hire the university’s first-ever athletics-specific mental health counselor. This success story illustrates how peer programs can spark transformative change:

To ensure effectiveness, campuses should prioritize:

  • Elevating student leadership and lived experience
  • Offering ongoing training for peer leaders
  • Using a trauma-informed approach
  • Investing in long-term program sustainability

When combined with collaboration and campus-wide engagement, these strategies can create lasting change in supporting student mental health.

The Power of Peer-Led Support

Peer support programs not only reduce the stigma surrounding mental health but also build lasting support systems for students. Empowering students to lead these initiatives fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens campus communities.

Peer-led programs often complement staff-led initiatives. While clinical counseling programs address more advanced and specific mental health needs, peer-led programs offer holistic opportunities for students to connect vulnerably with one another. Together, these approaches ensure students have access to a diverse menu of mental health resources to meet their needs.

Creating mentorship opportunities and safe spaces for connection, peer-led initiatives play a crucial role in ensuring no student feels isolated. These programs help students thrive—academically, socially, and emotionally—while reinforcing the importance of shared experiences and mutual support.

Key Takeaways

Peer support programs are essential for fostering a healthy, supportive environment on college campuses. Creating spaces where students can turn to their peers for help improves mental health outcomes and strengthens the sense of connection within the campus community.

Download Morgan’s Message’s education guide to access structured monthly meeting topics.

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Understanding the Okanagan Charter

Understanding the Okanagan Charter: A Framework for Prioritizing Campus Well-Being

Written by Leyna Weakley on . Posted in Industry Articles.

In recent years, colleges and universities worldwide have prioritized student well-being as an integral part of their mission. Furthermore, not only does investing in wellness programs support student health and satisfaction, but it also offers additional benefits. These extra benefits include improving graduation rates, strengthening institutional reputation, reducing recruitment costs, and boosting student retention.

However, establishing meaningful well-being initiatives that align with academic goals and institutional values can be a complex challenge. Enter the Okanagan Charter, a powerful guiding framework designed to help higher education institutions create, implement, and sustain holistic wellness programs.

Recently, we hosted a webinar with three college health leaders—Dr. Oliver Tacto of Maryville University, Emily Pagano of UConn, and Kelly Gorman of UAlbany— shared insights on best practices for promoting wellness on college campuses. Each of their institutions has committed to the Okanagan Charter, setting an example for how campuses can foster a culture of well-being.

What is the Okanagan Charter?

The Okanagan Charter was created in 2015 at the International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges in Kelowna, Canada. Its goal is to inspire colleges and universities to integrate health into every aspect of campus life. Unlike typical health initiatives, the Charter calls for a comprehensive approach, taking into account the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of students, faculty, and staff.

The Charter consists of two primary calls to action:

1. Embed Health into All Aspects of Campus Culture:
Colleges should make well-being a core part of campus life, not just through wellness services, but across all departments and activities.
2. Lead Health Promotion Locally and Globally:
Universities are encouraged to engage with local communities, health organizations, and global partners, creating a supportive ecosystem for all involved.

These calls help institutions, like our recent webinar speakers, build environments where students, staff, and faculty feel supported in every part of campus life.

Hear Dr. Oliver Tacto’s take on the Okanagan Charter in the clip below:

Why the Okanagan Charter Matters for Higher Education

In today’s competitive higher education landscape, where the mental health and overall well-being of students are essential, the Okanagan Charter offers universities a holistic framework to create an impactful, inclusive, and sustainable approach to wellness.

Here’s why the Okanagan Charter matters now more than ever:

  • Aligning with Institutional Values: With many students and their families prioritizing well-being when choosing schools, the Okanagan Charter helps colleges establish wellness programs that align with institutional values, strategic plans, and mission statements, strengthening their reputation and appeal.
  • Supporting Mental Health: As the demand for mental health services continues to rise, the Charter provides a pathway for campuses to develop comprehensive support systems that prioritize mental health without limiting their focus to clinical services.
  • Fostering a Supportive Campus Culture: The Charter’s emphasis on embedding health into all aspects of campus life encourages institutions to foster a supportive culture where students, faculty, and staff feel valued and empowered to take charge of their well-being.

P.S. – You can download a copy of the Okanagan Charter here.

Key Principles for Mobilizing Whole-Campus Health Initiatives in Higher Education

Furthermore, the Okanagan Charter lays out guiding principles to help campuses take action toward whole-system health. Following these principles allows institutions to create healthier, more inclusive campus environments.

Key principles that drive the Okanagan Charter’s approach to whole-campus health initiatives include:

  • Using settings and whole system approaches: Focus on holistic, system-wide methods to create healthy conditions in higher education and model health promotion for other settings.
  • Ensuring comprehensive and campus-wide approaches: Implement interconnected strategies for the whole campus.
  • Leveraging participatory approaches to engage the voice of students and others: Set ambitious goals and engage all stakeholders—students, staff, faculty, and leaders—in collaborative, participatory efforts to establish priorities and foster widespread commitment to action.
  • Developing trans-disciplinary collaborations and cross-sector partnerships: Foster collaborations across disciplines and sectors, both on campus and with local and global partners, to drive comprehensive health initiatives and promote health knowledge and action in wider communities.

Hear Emily’s thoughts on what it means to collaborate versus cooperate:

  • Promoting research, innovation and evidence-informed action: Ensure research and innovation provide evidence to shape health policies and practices, enhancing sustainability on campus and in society, while adapting actions based on new findings.
  • Building on strengths: Adopt an asset-based approach to recognize strengths, address challenges, celebrate successes, and share lessons to continuously improve campus health and well-being.
  • Valuing local and indigenous communities’ contexts and priorities: Promote health by engaging with and understanding the contexts and priorities of local and indigenous communities, while considering the perspectives of vulnerable and transitioning populations.
  • Acting on an existing universal responsibility: Uphold the “Right to Health” declared in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by ensuring health promotion actions reflect social justice, equity, dignity, diversity, and the interconnectedness of health with social, economic, and ecological factors.

Key Takeaways

The Okanagan Charter empowers campuses to prioritize holistic well-being by embedding health into all areas of campus life and fostering a supportive community. Incorporating these principles allows colleges and universities to create sustainable wellness initiatives that truly enhance the campus community as a whole.

Gain tips for enhancing wellness from three college health experts here.

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Student Well-being Programs

The ROI of Investing in Student Well-being Programs

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

How Colleges Can Enhance Campus Value

In today’s competitive higher education landscape, colleges and universities face growing pressure to prove their value. One of the most effective ways to do this? Invest in student well-being programs.

By prioritizing wellness programs, institutions improve students’ well-being and positively impact retention, satisfaction, and graduation rates. How these types of programs enhance campus value goes beyond just student success—it strengthens the institution’s overall appeal and value to students and their families.

Why Student Health Matters More Than Ever

Freshman enrollment was down by 5% in 2023 compared to the previous year, but the impact varies across different types of colleges:

Public and Private Nonprofit Four-Year Institutions: Experiencing considerable drops, with freshman enrollment down by 8.5% and 6.5%, respectively.

Four-Year Institutions with High Pell Grant Recipients: Seeing the most severe declines, with enrollment plummeting over 10%.

Community Colleges: Facing a much smaller impact, with only a 0.4% decline in freshman enrollment.

Considering these trends, colleges must focus on improving attrition and retention rates. A supportive environment that addresses mental health challenges is essential for enhancing the overall college experience. A 2022 National College Health Assessment (NCHA) study found that depression hinders academic performance for 24.3% of college students, while anxiety affects 34%.

Clearly, student wellness programs aren’t just a “nice-to-have;” it’s a critical factor in academic success and institutional stability.

Addressing these health challenges allows colleges to show how well-being programs enhance campus value and positively impact students in many ways.

The Financial ROI of Wellness Programs

Investing in wellness programs can be financially beneficial for institutions. Here’s how:

Rising Recruitment Cost
Recruitment costs for colleges and universities are on the rise, placing additional financial pressure on institutions to attract and retain students. For four-year private institutions, the average cost to recruit a single student now stands at $2,795, while public institutions spend around $494 per student.
Improved Student Satisfaction
Health and wellness services are key considerations for students when selecting a college. Yet, only about a quarter of students express satisfaction with their wellness facilities, and another quarter see room for improvement. Investing in comprehensive wellness offerings can be a meaningful way for colleges to boost student satisfaction and support academic success.
Higher Graduation Rates
Furthermore, around half of students report that struggling with their physical health and wellness hinders their academic performance. This emphasizes the need for supportive resources that promote student health to help them succeed academically, and in turn, graduate. Additionally, higher graduation rates improve an institution’s reputation and rankings, which can attract even more students.

Essential Components of a Campus Wellness Program

To maximize the ROI of wellness programs, colleges need a well-rounded approach that meets diverse student needs. Here’s a breakdown of what a successful wellness program includes:

  • Mental Health Support: Quick access to high-quality mental health services can make a world of difference for struggling students.
  • Preventive Health Services: Regular check-ups, vaccination clinics, and health education promote overall health.
  • Wellness Workshops and Training: Stress management, resilience training, and sleep hygiene workshops empower students to take control of their well-being.
  • Digital Health Tools: Telehealth and wellness apps make it easy for students to access support, no matter where they are.

These components highlight how wellness programs enhance campus value by addressing critical aspects of student health, supporting both academic success and personal growth.

Measuring the ROI of Wellness Programs

To justify the investment in wellness programs, institutions should measure their impact on student success. Tracking these metrics can clearly demonstrate how wellness programs enhance campus value:

  • Retention and Graduation Rates: High retention and graduation rates reflect positively on the institution’s ability to support students.
  • Utilization Rates of Health Services: Tracking the usage of mental health and wellness services shows their value to the administration.
  • Student Satisfaction Scores: Surveys can reveal how students perceive wellness services, highlighting areas of improvement.

Evaluating these metrics allows colleges to see firsthand how wellness programs enhance campus value and contribute to long-term success.

Key Takeaways

Well-being programs inarguably enhance campus value. These programs create healthier students, boost retention, and foster loyalty. Colleges that prioritize wellness are not only helping students succeed but also reinforcing the worth of higher education.

Ultimately, how wellness programs enhance campus value is about more than just ROI. It’s about creating an environment where students can thrive, graduate, and look back on their college experience with pride. Making this commitment, colleges position themselves as leaders in the evolving landscape of higher education, and students reap the benefits.

Continued Reading: Mental Health Support Proven to Improve Student Retention

Interested in learning more about how your campus health solutions can become more integrated and impactful?  Connect with a member of our team.

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Wellness on Campus

Rethinking “Wellness”

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

Rethinking “Wellness”:

How to Drive Collective Impact, Collaborate Better, and Leverage Data to Transform Your Campus

Webinar Q&A recap with college well-being experts Dr. Oliver Tacto from Maryville University, Emily Pagano from UConn, and Kelly Gorman from UAlbany to share their expertise on enhancing student well-being.

During the webinar, we covered the following key topics:

  • What does it mean to truly collaborate? And what are the biggest roadblocks getting in the way of meaningful progress?
  • What steps can you take to effectively implement your most ambitious well-being ideas and initiatives?
  • What is the Okanagan Charter and why should you know about it?
  • What tools and infrastructure need to be in place before you start to enact change?
  • How can campus leaders develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to better measure campus well-being?

Q1: Wellness and well-being are terms we hear often. Are they the same thing, or is there a difference?

Oliver: Wellness involves actions and habits that support physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s the journey. Well-being is the outcome—a balanced, fulfilled state that results from those wellness practices.

Kelly: I think of wellness as more of an individual construct, while well-being is broader, encompassing personal, communal, and societal levels.

Emily: It’s less about whether this is the “right” definition and more about how we use this term and what it means for us and the community that’s coming together to do this work. This understanding connects to our goals and what we’re trying to measure.

Q2: What are “inputs” in college well-being and what are some examples of inputs that can lead to improved well-being on campus?

Oliver: When we talk about inputs, we’re really talking about what people and resources we’re putting in when we say we’re “investing” in well-being. Inputs can vary widely depending on a campus’s unique environment. Here are a few examples:

  • Counseling and Support Staff: Access to mental health counselors and support staff is fundamental.
  • Health Services: Offering accessible health care and support for students’ physical wellness is a vital input.
  • Financial Resources: Some institutions have larger budgets to support well-being initiatives, which can make a significant difference.
  • Campus Environment: This includes everything from the built environment (like dorms, classrooms, and administrative buildings) to resources that allow for outdoor activities and engagement. Some campuses offer more natural spaces, which can positively impact student wellness.

Essentially, assessing and utilizing these inputs allows campuses to build a stronger foundation for student, faculty, community, and staff well-being.

Emily: Creating alignment across those inputs is a huge part of engaging in health promotion. Often, we have amazing assets on campus, but they’re not aligned, aware of one another, or working towards the same goals. 

Q3: What’s an overlooked asset when it comes to college wellness promotion?

Emily: Our University Planning colleagues have been invaluable allies, as they are deeply considering how the campus environment supports the experiences of students, staff, and faculty. Additionally, our partners in Sustainability, including those in facilities like wastewater management, play a critical role in this work.

Kelly: Two often-overlooked assets are relationships and student leadership. Successful environments combine top-down and bottom-up support, building connections across titles. Additionally, student leadership, including the Student Activities Office and Student Leadership Development, is essential.

Q4: What does the collaboration process look like? And how do you know when you’re collaborating versus cooperating?

Oliver: I view cooperation and collaboration as a choice between planning an event versus a shared vision. We must align our goals toward a common agenda and communicate consistently with stakeholders about this shared goal, ensuring resources are equitable. When collaboration fails, it can feel one-sided, focusing on individual departments instead of highlighting the entire university’s progress toward well-being.

Kelly: Collaboration involves drawing out the wisdom of others in the space. I ask questions to understand the motivations behind our work, the overarching goals, and the mission. For me, it means aligning on shared values, strategic priorities, and vision while committing to express those values healthily throughout our process.

P.S. 60% of our live webinar audience said they can cooperate but struggle to collaborate successfully with their colleagues.

Wellness Poll Results

Q5: What are some strategies for transitioning from cooperation to genuine collaboration?

Emily: I think the biggest barrier often lies in the structural designs within higher education institutions themselves, which are not always conducive to collaboration. For instance, a small but significant challenge we faced was faculty and staff using two separate communication systems (Google for faculty and Office 365 for staff). Even setting up meetings became difficult! So, my advice would be to assess your current structures, identify who’s already invested in these wellness goals, and then start building a strong base. Over time, establishing ongoing communication and even starting small projects together can lay the groundwork for a more extensive partnership.

Q6: What is the Okanagan Charter and why is it valuable for campus leaders to be aware of it?

Oliver: The Okanagan Charter is a foundational document established at an international conference for health-promoting professionals and universities. It provides a global framework for embedding health into all aspects of campus life—from operations and programming to culture and community.

The Charter promotes a holistic approach, ensuring campus-wide well-being through integrated initiatives. Rather than a checklist, it represents a commitment to cultivating a culture of health, signaling an institution’s readiness to make meaningful cultural and structural changes in support of health promotion.

Emily: The Charter’s emphasis on the interdependence of people, place, and planet has been instrumental in bringing together diverse partners from facilities, sustainability, campus planning, and research. We use it as a platform to discuss how our shared spaces and policies can promote health beyond individual departments.

The Charter gives us a language and framework to address well-being holistically, making it easier to collaborate on solutions that impact everyone.

Q7: How can university leaders set effective KPIs to measure campus wellness?

Kelly: At UAlbany, we’ve adopted the Okanagan Charter as our guiding framework, focusing on a systems approach to integrate well-being into all campus operations. Setting effective KPIs starts with agreement on a shared vision of well-being. We’re using realist evaluation to link KPIs to broader social processes, which helps measure complex outcomes beyond immediate results.

Emily: At UConn, we also adopted the Okanagan Charter and recently aligned our wellness KPIs with our new strategic plan. We emphasize relationship-building across departments to ensure equitable access to wellness initiatives. Our core KPIs focus on belonging, which resonates across wellness conversations, and sustainability metrics, as our university moves toward carbon neutrality.

Oliver: At Maryville, we’re developing KPIs using the eight dimensions of wellness framework. This approach helps us measure wellness comprehensively, covering areas like mental health access, active lifestyles, and student belonging. To engage students, we’ve implemented the “MaryWELL” initiative, which tracks their participation across wellness dimensions, from academic support to financial literacy. The framework guides measuring our progress across diverse aspects of campus wellness.

Key Takeaways

In this Q&A, we’ve highlighted key insights from our recent discussion on how campuses can go beyond the “wellness” buzzword to create lasting, measurable impacts on student well-being. We hope you found these expert insights valuable.

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EHR Solutions for Athletic Departments

Bridging the Gap Between Athletic and Wellness Departments on College Campuses

Written by Medicat on . Posted in Industry Articles.

In the high-pressure world of college athletics, student-athletes juggle rigorous training schedules, academic responsibilities, and the everyday demands of college life. Ensuring these athletes remain in peak physical condition while maintaining their overall health is no small feat.

This challenge is especially prominent when athletic departments and campus health and counseling centers operate separately. That’s unless…You’re utilizing an integrated Electronic Health Record (EHR) system!

EHR solutions offer a seamless, efficient way to coordinate care between departments and ensure that student-athletes receive comprehensive support both on and off the field.

In this blog we’ll cover:
  • The challenges of miscommunication between athletic departments, health centers, and counseling clinics
  • How an EHR can bridge the gap to deliver a better student experience and more coordinated care
  • The critical role of an EHR in supporting both the physical and mental health of student-athletes

The Disconnect Between Athletics and Campus Wellness

Athletic trainers manage student-athlete injuries and performance optimization on many campuses, while campus health centers handle general medical care and counseling handles mental health support.

With these three services operating independently, this makes it difficult to share critical health information that can impact an athlete’s overall well-being. This disconnect can result in delayed or incomplete care and missed opportunities for holistic health management.

The Role of an Integrated EHR in Coordinating Care for Student-Athletes

An integrated EHR platform addresses these challenges by creating a single, unified system that offers multiple benefits, including permission structures to maintain student privacy:

1. Improved Communication Sharing

A comprehensive EHR system allows both athletic trainers and wellness services staff to access shared student records, ensuring everyone involved in a student-athlete’s care is on the same page—but with safeguards in place.

Permission structures within the EHR ensure that only certain types of information or notes are visible to specific staff. For instance, a trainer may access medical history relevant to injuries but won’t see sensitive mental health notes unless permitted. This balance ensures privacy while improving overall care coordination.

Effective coordination among trainers, health services, and counseling services is essential for comprehensive student-athlete care. Here’s how it can look in practice:

  • Trainers can view a student’s medical history before deciding on treatment for an injury.
  • Health services can stay updated on any injuries or physical conditions when providing care.
  • Counseling services can access relevant health information to better support a student’s overall well-being during treatment.

2. Seamless Coordination of Care

When athletic trainers and health services can collaborate through a shared EHR, they can coordinate care more effectively. For example, if an athlete is recovering from a concussion, trainers and wellness professionals can work together to develop a tailored recovery plan. 

This accounts for physical, mental, and academic considerations. With all the information in one place, treatment plans can be updated in real-time, ensuring continuity of care.

3. Enhanced Tracking and Monitoring

An EHR system provides real-time access to data, making it easier to track athletes’ progress, monitor injuries, and manage recovery timelines.

Moreover, health professionals and trainers can quickly identify trends and adjust treatment plans as needed. This tracking is particularly beneficial for preventing recurring injuries or monitoring conditions like stress fractures or overuse injuries.

Hey! If you’re reading this blog, you might also be interested in our other blog, College Athletics and Mental Health. Check it out here.

4. Informed Decision-Making

Whether it’s a decision to return to play after an injury or addressing chronic issues like asthma or anxiety, integrated EHRs empower both athletic trainers and health services to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Furthermore, all clinics having access to comprehensive medical data ensure that student-athletes are not rushed back into play before they are fully ready, reducing the risk of re-injury.

Why Integration Matters for Mental Health

The physical demands of collegiate sports can take a toll on mental health. Anxiety, depression, and stress are common among student-athletes who balance competitive pressures, academic obligations, and personal lives. An integrated EHR streamlines communication and collaboration, improving overall care for student-athletes.

Sharing information on mental health services and treatment plans allows athletic trainers to recognize when an athlete might need extra support. This enables health and counseling services to intervene earlier if mental health issues are affecting athletic performance.

Key Takeaways

Coordinating care between athletic trainers and campus health and counseling centers is critical to ensuring that student-athletes receive comprehensive, holistic care. By implementing an integrated EHR solution, colleges and universities can break down silos, improve communication, and provide better care for their athletes.

And when these departments can seamlessly communicate, student-athletes can perform at their best—both on the field and off.

Want to learn more about how you can bridge the gap between different departments on your campus? Contact us today to see what your options are in helping your campus improve student-athlete care.

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