Kentucky college students: Here are the mental health resources available at your school
As college students across the nation face mental health struggles, Kentucky universities are ramping up the resources they offer.
Nationally, instances of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts have steadily increased among college students in the past decade. The percentage of students reporting depression and anxiety has doubled since 2013, according to the Healthy Minds Survey, a national survey that looks at the mental health and well-being of college students across the country.
The COVID pandemic caused an increase anxiety, depression, eating disorders and suicidal ideation in college-aged students, said national mental health researcher Denise Wilfley. Around one-third of secondary education students suffer from severe anxiety, depression or eating disorders.
“About 75% of mental illnesses begin by the age of 24, so it’s a high probability time that students will struggle,” she said. “It’s a time period of life where they’re making this major transition.”
She said it’s important that students know where they can go for help because the earlier intervention happens, the better the treatment outcome.
Here are some of the services Kentucky’s higher education institutions are offering to support students’ mental health needs.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky rolled out its Triage, Referral, Assistance and Crisis Support (TRACS) hub in September 2022 to provide immediate support to students experiencing mental health issues or crises. The Hub is able to make referrals for students to find on- and off-campus resources without a scheduled appointment, according to its website.
UK’s counseling center allows students to discuss a wide range of issues with a mental health clinician, with a limit of 10 sessions per calendar year. Students can schedule an appointment by calling the counseling center between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday (859-257-8701).
UK has 18 full-time therapists between the TRACS Hub and the counseling center.
Appointments are available at UK Behavioral Health Services (859-323-5511) for students who need continued care for an existing psychological condition, additional support or guidance with new or unexpected psychological concerns or have an acute need for psychiatric care.
Students can also use UK’s Let’s Talk program, which provides access to informal, confidential conversations with clinicians from the counseling center. The program is available via Zoom Monday-Friday with no appointment or fee required.
In addition to specific counseling support, UK has on-campus resources for LGBTQ+ students at the LGBTQ Center; students experiencing extensive life stressors can work with a non-clinical case manager at the Center for Support and Intervention; and a program called Integrated Success Coaching offers students the opportunity to meet with success coaches who specialize in academic life skills, careers, finances, leadership, identity needs and wellness.
UK also partners with off-campus companies to offer five free apps to students:
Headspace: Meditation and mindfulness tools for students to focus on de-stressing and finding ways to achieve better sleep.
Stressbusters Wellness: Stress management tools, as well as information for campus wellness events.
Talkspace: Teletherapy through text and video chat (two free 30-minute sessions a month).
Togetherall: An anonymous, online community that provides mental health support to students 24/7. Students can log in with their UK ID.
Welltrack Boost: Sell-guided tools for improving mental health. Students can log in with their UK ID.
In the event of a crisis, the following resources are available to students:
UK Counseling Center: Outside of business hours, on the weekend or during university closings/holidays, students can call 859-257-8701 and select option #1 to be connected to a mental health clinician.
Crisis Text Line: Test the word “Start” to 859-741-741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
New Vista Crisis Line: 800-928-8000
UK’s Good Samaritan Emergency Department: 859-226-7070
University of Louisville
University of Louisville students can seek mental health resources at their on-campus counseling center, which offers individual, couples and group therapy services.
With 10 full-time and two part-time therapists, the counseling center also offers crisis intervention, urgent consultation and referral, medication management referral, consultation and outreach to students.
Students can schedule an appointment by calling the office at 502-852-6585. Students can also call that number after hours for crisis help. Students are encouraged to walk in during business hours to receive an urgent consultation.
A list of the resources outside the counseling center can be found on the university website.
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University students can receive mental health support through the university’s counseling center, which “exclusively serves students,” said Peggy Crowe, the director of the Counseling Center & Student Accessibility Resource Center.
The center offers individual counseling, sexual assault response, educational programs and psycho-education & support groups, according to the website.
Students can schedule an appointment with one of the six full-time mental health professionals by calling the center at 270-745-3159 or going to the office at Potter Hall 409.
Students can call 270-745-2548 for emergency and after-hours information.
A list of the resources outside the counseling center can be found on the university website.
Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University offers both a counseling center and a psychology clinic for students.
EKU will begin the 2024-2025 with 11 full-time counselors available, including two pre-doctoral psychology interns who see students both in-person and online. Students can schedule an appointment with the counseling center by calling 859-622-1303, or stopping in the office located in Whitlock Building Room 571.
Services are offered to all enrolled EKU students. Therapy groups and drop-in supportive spaces are available through the counseling center’s webpage.
Students must complete an evaluation in the counseling center before they can be referred to the psychology clinic. Psychology clinic services are not free to students and the cost of services varies from student to student.
The psychology clinic has seven full-time psychologists and is supported by the Department of Psychology at EKU. Services are provided by doctoral students who have received graduate training. Services offered by the psychology clinic include: individual therapy, assessments and evaluations, couples and family therapy and outreach services.
EKU also offers a variety of resources to students for academic, basic needs, extracurricular and financial support. All of these resources can be found on the student support resources webpage.
Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University students can access mental health resources through its counseling center, which offers scheduled in-person and telehealth meetings and crisis walk-in appointments.
Staff members at NKU’s counseling center include a full-time director, a full-time associate director, six full-time clinicians specializing in disciplines including clinical mental health counseling, clinical psychology and social work and four part-time interns who are graduate students in the NKU clinical mental health counseling and social work programs.
Appointments can be made by calling NKU’s counseling services at 859-572-5650 or emailing hcsw@nku.edu.
The counseling center lists resources for students, faculty, staff, parents, families and the local community on their website. Services include information and contacts regarding general mental health issues, and more tailored therapies regarding LGBTQ+, veterans, domestic violence/sexual assault and more.
Outside of the counseling center, NKU has a Center for Student Inclusiveness containing resources for African American, Latino and LGBTQ+ students. They also have a Veterans Resource Station and an Adult & Transfer Center.
Jefferson Community and Technical College
Students at Jefferson County Technical College have access to mental health resources through the college’s partnership with Spalding University.
Spalding provides doctoral students to JCTC every academic year to serve as student therapists on campus at JCTC. This year, four student therapists will be available for JCTC students. Email addresses for each of the four student therapists for the 2024-2025 academic year can be found on the counseling page to schedule an appointment.
Students also have the option to schedule an appointment off campus with Spalding University’s Center for Behavioral Health, 502-792-7011, facilitated by the School of Professional Psychology.
Other resources, including crisis and violence lines, are available through the counseling page on the JCTC website. There are also multiple student organizations such as academic support, minority organizations and social justice organizations on campus.
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Bluegrass Community and Technical College students can access mental health resources through its counseling center, which offers free scheduled and walk-in appointments in person and through telehealth. Its office is located on BCTC’s Newtown Campus.
BCTC’s Personal Counseling is made up of a director, two full-time counselors and one part-time staff member. The office can be reached at 859-246-6550 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The counseling center partners with the Kentucky Primary Care Association and the Family Scholar House to provide students with additional services such as MyKY.info, a website set up by Anita Nelums, director of counseling services, in partnership with the Family Scholar House. MyKY.info lists free, state-wide resources for anyone in Kentucky based on demographic and personal needs.
The counseling center offers workshops throughout the year on topics like stress management, how to deal with academic anxiety and understanding suicide.
The website lists community resources students can utilize, such as mobile apps used to cope with mental health and information about national crisis hotlines.
Outside of the counseling center, BCTC offers services regarding disability accessibility, LGBTQ+, African American Student Initiatives, Latinx and Immigrant Services and English as a Second Language.
Murray State University
Murray State has four full-time counselors, and students can make appointments and request paperwork via email at msu.counselingcenter@murraystate.edu.
Students will be assigned to a counselor once paperwork is been received. There is an on-call counselor available 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday during the academic year and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. during the summer at (270) 809-6851.
Students are encouraged to contact Murray State Police at (270) 809-2222 or 911 for emergency situations on weekends or holidays.
Students also can seek help from the Psychological Center on campus, staffed by graduate students and supervised by licensed clinical psychologists in the Psychology Department at Murray State. The Psychological Center will interview the student on their initial visit and discuss possible treatment plan. Students may walk in to the psychological center and request paperwork to make initial contact.
Murray State University offers an optional program for incoming freshmen that allows them to participate in social events and learn about on-campus mental health resources. Part of this programming includes Racers Empower, services offered to students to assist with mental health and well-being on campus.
Murray State also offers the Counseling and Assessment Center within the College of Education and Human Services, the Center for Student Engagement and Success and the Zen Den, a room in the counseling center complete with comforting scenery, which can be reserved through the same email address as the counseling center.
Morehead State University
Morehead State University students can receive mental health and counseling services with one of four full-time mental health counselors at the full-service primary care clinic on campus.
The clinic offers mental health and substance abuse counseling, and emergency and crisis options for Morehead students, according to the website.
Students can schedule an appointment by calling the clinic at 606-783-2055.
The clinic website referred students to 911 and national hotline services if it’s outside clinic operating hours.
On-campus resources outside the counseling center for advanced student support include Student Support Services, Career-Ready Experience, Eagle Diversity Education Center, Disability Services, First Year Programs, Advising & Tutoring, College Readiness and the Academic Honors Program.
Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University students can receive mental health services at the campus counseling center where three full-time, one part-time and six to eight graduate student employees offer individual therapy, group therapy, crisis intervention, assessment, and consultation, said Gary Petiprin, the director of the counseling center.
Students can schedule a first-time appointment online or call the office at 502-272-8480.
The counseling center also offers specific services for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. The services include individual counseling, workshops and groups, a woman of color discussion group and racial trauma treatment.
The counseling center partners with the Collective Care Center at Spalding University to provide racial trauma treatment to students who have been exposed to racism or discrimination, according to the website.
On-campus resources outside the counseling center for advanced student support include the Student Success Center, SuRF, Office of Identity and Inclusion, Health Services, Campus Ministry, Accessibility Resource Center and the Office of Military and Veteran Services, according to the Bellarmine University website.
Kentucky State University
At the University Counseling Center, Kentucky State offers its students individual and group counseling, support groups, mental, emotional and lifestyle wellness programs, and substance use counseling and education, along with other services. The counseling center has three licensed clinicians.
Kentucky State’s website offers resources for crisis intervention, suicide prevention and substance abuse prevention on its website as well, with information for students on what to know and how to respond.
In an emergency, students are instructed to call the Center for Emotional Wellness, 502-597-6878, for crisis intervention during daytime hours and Kentucky State Campus Police, 502-597-6878 after hours.
Berea College
Berea College students can use the campus counseling center, which offers services like individual therapy, couples therapy, group counseling and psychological assessments. The center also offers referrals to the White House Clinic, near campus, for prescription management.
There is no limit to the number of appointments students can schedule with the counseling center. Services are offered to all actively enrolled students, and couples counseling is available for their partners, even if the partner is not a Berea student.
Berea’s counseling services offer treatment for anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, stress management and relaxation training, LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy, trauma treatment and skills training. There are four full-time counselors in the counseling center along with a director, case manager and administrative assistant.
In a mental health emergency, students are instructed to contact Berea Public Safety, 859-985-3333, then counseling services, 859-985-3212. If the student is not in imminent danger of physically harming themselves or others, students are instructed to call Counseling Services or walk the student to Counseling Services.
If the counseling center is closed, students should contact Berea Public Safety and the Student Life team member on duty.
This fall, Berea College will roll out its new partnership with Protocol Services, said Brad Stepp, director of counseling services. Protocol offers telehealth support for college students, who may not be available to visit counseling centers.
Georgetown College
Georgetown College students can access mental health resources through its counseling center, which includes two full-time staff counselors and several part-time graduate student counselors from other Kentucky schools to offer free counseling services to students through scheduled telehealth meetings from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
They accept walk-ins and scheduled appointments, which can be made by emailing counseling@georgetowncollege.edu or calling 502-863-7074. The counseling center office is located in the Student Wellness Center.
Outside of the counseling center, Georgetown has services including an Office of Diversity & Inclusion and a Center for Christian Discernment and Academic Leadership.
Centre College
At Centre Counseling, students can access individual and group therapy as needed or use the ongoing care program, where counselors help the student determine the number of sessions most beneficial to their mental health.
Counseling is free to all active Centre students and is available during the academic year by appointment or same-day sessions, which are available Monday through Friday between 1-4:30 p.m. on a first come, first serve basis. Centre Counseling has four full-time therapists and a full-time director.
Centre Counseling also offers skills training on how to support friends and family members who may be struggling with their mental health. Through partnerships with Seize the Awkward and Active Minds, the counseling center offers Centre students, faculty and staff resources if they are concerned about the well-being of a friend, student or family member.
Centre Counseling offers targeted support groups for students, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, international students, women of color, those in recovery, those struggling with body image and those learning self-care.
Partnering with the Office of Health Promotion, Centre offers resources on drug and alcohol education and prevention. While offering confidential counseling services for alcohol and drug abuse, they can also refer students to off-campus treatment resources and community self-help groups.
In an emergency, students are instructed to dial 911 or the after-hours crisis line (859-319-1546), or, during business hours, call the counseling center (859-238-5530). If there is no answer, students should contact Public Safety (859-236-4357).
Transylvania University
Transylvania University students can access mental health resources through its counseling center, which offers in-person counseling appointments on campus. The counseling office is located in Transy’s Campus Center.
Appointments with any of Transy’s three full-time counselors can be made by emailing counseling@transy.edu or calling the counseling center, 859-281-3682, Monday through Friday during the school year.
In addition to counseling, Transy offers services to students through diversity organizations including Black Student Alliance, Muslim Students Association and more.
They also have services relating to religion and spirituality including a Baptist Campus Ministry and a Transy Pagan Student Association.
