Tarleton State University is experiencing rapid growth both locally and across the Texas A&M system between the surge of students being accepted and constructed across campus. It is clear that enrollment with Tarleton is at a constant increase and with this growth comes the affirmation that students are the core to our university. In return, the university has reaffirmed its commitment to providing the best collegiate experience to all students. Tarleton State University has introduced a new telehealth service called My Student Support Program (My SSP),  which aims to provide students with additional mental health resources on campus.

Telehealth is still a relatively new practice with it being first introduced in March of 2002. Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information. The app allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions.

Telehealth, like everything, has its own set of drawbacks and requires a strong internet connection and access to a computer or mobile device in order to utilize its services. There are many benefits to utilizing telehealth methods such as: 

Improved Provider Access: Students have become more open to seeking medical care now that it is more available for them to access.

Greater flexibility to schedule visits: The availability of appointments during working or academic hours makes the telehealth service an attractive alternative to low-income households as well as students. 

Reduced Cost: Having to attend in-office medical appointments meant students also had to consider additional expenses such as tolls, parking, and gas, as well as limited time availability. There is also the chance of the inability to gain an appointment due to overbooking and staff shortages.

Reduced stress: Those who were at risk of losing income from having to take time off from work or school now have quick access to be able to speak to someone without having to take time out of their day.

Mental health is one of the leading causes of death in academia. According to the 2022 Mental Health in America report, 64 percent of students drop out of college because of anxiety and mental health problems. About 75 percent of mental illnesses appear by the age of 18. According to this statistic, 41 percent of US college students have depression and  33 percent of students who receive mental health services consider committing suicide. 

Switching to virtual health allows both students and counseling services alike to continuously provide a timely and effective resource to students. This is convenient, especially for those who may have issues outside of normal business hours or who are more comfortable with using the telehealth service. This eliminates some potential barriers students may face when seeking resources, such as time constraints, and limited counseling availability, it provides an immediate resource 24/7 regardless of location and time. 

 If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health issues, please seek professional help. MY SSP allows students to have 24/7 access to licensed professional counselors from the comfort of their very own homes. Students can access MySSP online at myssp. app or by downloading MySSP from the App Store and setting up an account with their school credentials.

 Tarleton State University also offers Student Counseling Services located at the Wellness Center on the first floor of Traditions North. Appointments at the Wellness Center are included in students’ semesterly tuition, appointments can be made by calling 254-968-9044 or by using the EAB Online Service. For emergencies contact 911.