On Tuesday, Sept. 30, students will have a chance to explore the space dedicated to their support.
The SVSU Mental Health and Wellness Center will host an open house for students from 2 to 4 p.m. in Curtiss Hall 112, organized by the staff and Director Brett Boswinkle.
“We host an open house every year about a month into the fall semester,” he said. “We feel it can be beneficial for students to see the office, meet the clinicians, and ask any questions they may have about the mental health services available to them on campus.”
The open house will include refreshments, opportunities to interact with the clinicians, and tours of the office space. There will not be a formal presentation or workshop as it is intended to be a casual event.
While confidentiality cannot be guaranteed due to the public nature of this event, it provides an opportunity for students to ask questions and learn more about the process of beginning counseling services or even continuing them.
The event also serves as a way to address misconceptions surrounding mental health.
“Across the United States, there are barriers to obtaining mental health treatment,” he said. “Our services are free to enrolled SVSU students, available both in-person and virtually, and our wait times are well below the average observed in most community-based outpatient settings.”
The center also collaborates with student organizations and other departments to reach underserved groups on-campus. This ensures accessibility and free mental health care to all students despite their identity.
The center also spearheads a variety of ongoing and upcoming initiatives. Peer Health Education provides programming around a range of topics relevant to the campus community.
“[Peer Health provides] educational programming around the topics of general wellness, sexual responsibility, sexual assault and substance use,” Boswinkle said.
Another initiative is underway called “Managing the Stress of College.” The group will reconvene later this semester. The center is also preparing to launch Adult Mental Health First Aid certification classes for students. This is part of the center’s effort to encourage prevention in addition to intervention.
“Prevention helps decrease the chances that someone will eventually need intervention,” he said. “Our Managing the Stress of College group is an example of a prevention effort to help students learn strategies to promote mental wellbeing.”
Students unable to attend can find resources online at svsu.edu/mhwc or contact the center directly via email or phone.
“If there’s one thing I’d like attendees to take away, it’s being knowledgeable about the mental health resources available to students … and how to access them,” Boswinkle said.
