May is Mental Health Month. While university conversations often address the mental wellbeing of college students, faculty and staff must also remember to care for themselves. TCU Human Resources offers a variety of tools to assist employees.
“In a recent national survey by Gallup, 25% of Americans report that the state of their mental health is ‘only fair’ or ‘poor’,” said Yohna Chambers, vice chancellor and chief HR officer. “This is concerning. In TCU HR, our motto is ‘champions for employee success,’ and we truly mean that. To help, we offer resources, employee benefits, and employee development opportunities to support TCU employees with their mental health and wellbeing.”
One of the benefits available is the TCU Employee Assistance Program, offered through ComPsych Guidance Resources. This service benefits both employees and their dependents and can help identify and resolve many workplace, family, social, financial and mental health obstacles. Services for a variety of issues are available both over the phone and in person. The TCU EAP will pay for up to six sessions per person, each year.
Additional wellness resources for employees available on the TCU HR Wellness web page, including resources for physical, financial, emotional and professional help.
“We recognize that employees have multi-faceted lives, which can include personal or professional struggles,” Chambers said. “When faced with navigating mental health or other wellbeing concerns, I truly encourage employees to reach out to TCU human resources for support. These requests are treated respectfully and confidentially with an appropriate professional on the team.”
For the health of students
TCU faculty and staff are often also on the frontlines of witnessing the health of students.
Campus Connections through the Koehler Center offers a workshop taught by Brad Stewart, associate director of Fitness & Wellness Education with Campus Recreation & Wellness Promotion.
“Three of the top five impediments to academic performance as reported by TCU students are stress, anxiety and depression,” Stewart said. “Faculty play a key role in recognizing the warning signs of mental health and facilitating referrals.”
This workshop provides faculty with the tools to identify warning signs and risk factors for suicide and poor mental health, covers how to ask a student if they are having harmful thoughts, and discusses how to refer students to campus resources. A date for the fall semester is pending.
For more information and additional support for all Horned Frogs, visit TCU Counseling & Mental Health and Religious & Spiritual Life.