Student Mental Health and Well-being Working Group
About Student Health, Well-being and Advocacy (SHWA)
The Student Health, Well-being and Advocacy (SHWA) umbrella area of Student Affairs at CU Denver aims to create alignments and coordination among Student Affairs departments that support students who require mental health services. The
SHWA covers the areas of Dean of Students, Case Management, Student and Community Counseling Center, Disability Resources and Services (Federal Compliance Area), Student Conduct and Community Standards (Federal Compliance Area), and Phoenix Center
at Auraria.
In Federal Compliance Area departments, we are legally obligated to provide specific services to students. In the areas of Case Management, Care Team, the Phoenix Center and the Counseling Center, we have a moral obligation to work within an ethic of
care to support students. SHWA works to ensure that students persist to graduation. which often can require providing mental health support to students in crisis while paying special attention to the safety and security needs of community members.
Recent data show that the top three issues that have the greatest negative impact on CU Denver students’ academic success are related to mental health: 1) stress, 2) anxiety and 3) depression. SHWA aims to elevate the quality of services it provides
to align with national professional standards of care.
Opportunity
CU Denver prioritizes student mental health and wellness because it is crucial for: 1) academic success, 2) student retention, 3) holistic development, 4) emotional and physical harm prevention, 5) social impact and
6) legal and ethical compliance. In addition, offering mental health and wellness support to CU Denver employees also directly aligns with our 2030 Strategic Goal 5 to be a best place to work.
Scope
The Student Mental Health and Well-being Working Group will review, update, and adapt previous proposals submitted by SWHA to campus leadership into a set of recommendations for short-term and long-term implementation. Proposed
recommendations will address known concerns regarding shortcomings in student mental health and well-being support, and may include ideas for new programs, services, and areas of institutional investments.
The working group, which will have access to an inventory of reports and resources during this process, will assess the effect and effectiveness of policies, processes, and systems used to administer student mental health and well-being services.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct a thorough analysis of the existing plans, proposals, policies, processes, and systems used to administer mental health and well-being student support and services and identify any deficiencies.
- Identify root causes and potential solutions to address the deficiencies.
- Collaborate with constituents from schools and colleges and campus partners to gather insights and feedback.
- Develop an action plan and presenting recommendations for implementation.
- Recognizing the importance of staff retention and the need for employee support within SHWA, propose interventions and appropriate supports.
Expected Deliverables and Timeline:
- Findings outlining the current state, challenges, and proposed solutions. (March 2024)
- Recommendations for supplemental working groups and a timeline to develop their action plans. (March 2024)
- Draft reports and action plan completed and presented to Provost Constancio Nakuma and Chancellor Michelle Marks. (May-June 2024)
Timeline
Supplemental groups will work between April to June 2024, acknowledging the need for some groups to continue work beyond the current academic year.
Reporting Structure
The working group will report periodica updates on progress to AVC Katie Linder and present its final report, recommendations, and action plan to Provost Constancio Nakuma and Chancellor Michelle Marks. It will
be facilitated by Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Genia Herndon.
