Our Approach
Together — with intention — we can continue cultivating a culture of care and wellness within the Wolfpack.
Implementing the Plan
As of November 2023, the teams tasked with examining the feasibility of the Student Mental Health Task Force’s recommendations have implemented or completed several of them, with various long-term projects in progress.
How We Started
The NC State Student Mental Health Task Force, charged in the fall of 2022 by Vice Chancellor and Dean Doneka R. Scott, has thoroughly and urgently reevaluated the university’s mental health services, resources and policies. The final report highlights the significant programs, services and resources in place at NC State, and it notes where we have opportunities to expand and better support student mental health and well-being.
The task force was made up of students, faculty and staff, with people from all across NC State contributing to their work:
- More than 550 individuals participated in listening sessions, which continued through the spring 2023 semester.
- The task force received close to 1,100 public comments from the wider Wolfpack community, including parents and alumni.
- Faculty and staff across campus shared more than 400 existing resources, programs or initiatives they felt addressed mental health and well-being.
Report Recommendations
The task force identified the following overarching action items that are fundamental to improving student mental health at NC State. Each of these recommendations aligns with specific short- and long-term potential tactics, which are outlined in the full report. Implementation teams are now working on the various action items.
- We must integrate campus-level diversity, equity, inclusion and mental health planning to foster a sense of belonging for all students, especially those in underserved populations.
- We must immediately form implementation teams charged with researching, evaluating and potentially implementing the task force’s recommendations.
- We must continually assess existing mental health services and programs and any new initiatives created through this process, using evidence-based decision-making in all efforts to support student mental health.
- We must continue to find ways to increase awareness of current mental health and wellness resources by revisiting how resources are introduced to students and reiterated throughout their time at NC State.
- We must continue to engage the campus community in the ongoing conversation regarding student mental health, which included offering more listening sessions during the spring 2023 semester for students, faculty and staff to gather feedback and input.
Three Themes
After thoughtful engagement with the campus community and rigorous examination of the academic literature, the expansive list of recommendations centered a culture of care, resources and policy as categories the implementation teams can bring forth in their work.
Culture of Care
Strengthen our holistic approach to mental health through institutional, curricular and training methods.
Resources
Provide additional resources needed to improve student mental health and well-being.
Policies
Revise current policies, rules and regulations to better support student well-being.
Download the Reports
Read the research collected and organized by both the NC State task force and the Student Government intervention department.
