SUNY Empire Launches Online Mental Health and Wellbeing Service for Students

SUNY Empire State College officially launched Lifeworks My Student Support Program (Lifeworks My SSP), offering free mental-health and wellbeing support for all SUNY Empire students. 

Research consistently shows that anxiety and depression are on the rise among college students of all ages, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major contributing factor. As if the stressors of being a student aren’t enough in a normal year — juggling school, home, work, and community responsibilities — our students have had to navigate new or escalated challenges the pandemic ushered in, from financial concerns, feelings of isolation, and sleep disruption, to concern for their health and the health of those they love.  It became readily apparent that colleges and universities must do everything they can to make mental health care accessible to all students.

With the addition of Lifeworks My SSP, students will receive:  

• 24/7 real-time, confidential mental-health support services for everything from an immediate crisis to everyday concerns, via phone and online/app chat 
• Counseling from trained, master’s-level, multi-lingual clinicians (Counselors who speak Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, and English are available 24/7. Other languages by appointment, depending on availability.) 
• On-demand support — whenever, wherever — as many times as they need it, with no appointment necessary 
• Free access to LIFT, a fitness app 

 Funding for this service comes from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and the student health and wellness fee.