Lack of Mental Health Resources

A Saint Joseph’s University Senior shares her disappointment in the lack of the support the administration has given to students this past semester, particularly in regards to mental health services. She goes on to discuss how this has had a severe impact on the mental health and well-being of SJU students.

Start Talking SJU is a social media impact campaign that encourages members of the Saint Joseph’s University community to engage each other by discussing difficult, yet important topics, that are vital for a healthy, open, inclusive campus. Our current topic is Living in Fear, Striving for Hope.

More videos like this one on the topic of Living in Fear, Striking for Hope in 2020 can be found at http://livinginfear.starttalkingsju.com. You can also see our prior campaigns: Attacked (http://attacked.starttalkingsju.com), Belonging (http://belonging.starttalking.com), and Mental Health (http://mentalhealth.starttalking.com).

This video was co-created with the person depicted and/or represented in a story read by another. All persons reviewed and signed consent forms granting permission to share this story online.

If you are experiencing any personal or social effects due to fear on or off campus, the university has resources that can help, including:

The Office of Student Outreach and Support (https://sites.sju.edu/sos/); the SJU COVID website (https://www.sju.edu/hawk-hill-ready); if you are experiencing food insecurity, HawkHub (https://clubs.sju.edu/hawkhubclub); The Bias Activity Review Group, which connects to Public Safety (https://sites.sju.edu/oid/bias/); CAPS (610-660-1090); TitleIX titleIX@sju.edu; REPP (*confidential support) 610-733-9650 (24 hr. Peer Helpline); or SJU Public Safety 610-660-1111.

A complete transcript of the video reads as follows: There’s a bit of a lack of support from the administration itself. I feel like they could’ve done a better job of helping take care of their students, emotionally or academically, especially within this changed climate of COVID. I feel like everything they do is to maintain financial income for themselves and the administration. The lack of support leaves little room for mental health and taking care of your mental health. I’ve personally suffered from it. I’ve had to miss classes just because I mentally cannot get out of the house. So many people are needing help right now, um, and people don’t know where to get help. I feel like CAPS, like I get it its COVID, but the system of how CAPS is working right now is insufficient. They didn’t really enact how CAPS was going to be running or how it’s changed in how it’s running – I still don’t know. And I feel like there’s a lot of students that aren’t gonna reach out anymore to CAPS because of the distance required to make an appointment. Like our education is our responsibility, it’s in our hands. And if we want that to change then we have to do it.