Jackson State University partners with META teletherapy that provides students with mental health services

(JACKSON, Miss.) — Jackson State University is partnering with META
teletherapy to further assist students with mental health counseling. META
is the nation’s first teletherapy app built specifically for college
students, offering real-time video counseling with licensed mental health
professionals from the privacy of a smartphone.

“The heart of our mission is to provide quality teaching to a diverse
student body. All too often, students neglect their mental health because
they are afraid that a therapist won’t understand them or their specific
cultural background,” said Thomas Hudson, president of JSU. “META provides
our students with immediate access to hundreds of providers from all walks
of life in a safe and private environment.”

By partnering with META, JSU receives a vigorous mental health program,
complete with self-service content directed at students and an ongoing
awareness campaign, encouraging them to take care of their emotional and
mental well-being.

“META online counseling does not replace the services offered by the
Latasha Norman Center,” White noted. “Instead, it enhances the mental
health resources available for students to receive.”

The app will work in tangent with the Latasha Norman Center for Counseling
Services at JSU, which provides student-centered mental health services.

“The META online counseling services will further benefit JSU students by
giving them an additional option to receive mental health counseling,”
said Shanice White, director of the JSU Latasha Norman Center for
Counseling Services.

On top of the common stress over earning an advanced degree, mental health
issues are on the rise resulting from anxiety over the coronavirus
pandemic. A recent survey from Mental Health America found that, from
January to September 2020, the number of U.S. adults struggling with
anxiety increased a staggering 93 percent over the same period in 2019.

While in the META app, JSU students can search META’s nationwide network
of licensed and vetted mental health providers, including counselors,
therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

Students can also select a provider with whom they feel comfortable by
narrowing their search based on provider characteristics, such as gender,
therapy style, ethnicity, and language.

Students download the META app, choose a counselor, and receive chat,
video, or voice counseling through the privacy and convenience of their
smartphones. The app presents available online counselors for immediate
connection, or students can leave a chat or voice message to schedule a
future session.

Due to the increase in mental health concerns among college students,
White shared that college and university counseling center staff spend
extended time with multiple students and multiple student sessions weekly.

“This can create a backlog of students who inquire about and need mental
health counseling. JSU’s partnership with META helps to ensure the
students’ mental health needs are being met in a timely manner,” White
said.

The JSU/META partnership was made possible through a grant managed by the
Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

About META: META’s mission is to circumvent the stigma surrounding mental
health by offering users an easy way to receive counseling without having
to visit an on-campus location. The app is free to download, and sessions
can be paid for via credit card or insurance. www.meta.app