Breaking barriers for first-gen student access to mental health care
Options are available to support first-gen students on campus and elsewhere. Here are some resources.
The entrance to Student Counseling Services in Appleby Hall in Minneapolis, Minn. on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Student Counseling Services provides a variety of services for students on campus, including mental health workshops and extension programs like Let’s Talk.
By Hadeal Rizeq
Nazeefa Nezami, a first-generation college graduate now studying law at the University of St. Thomas, said it wasn’t unusual for her to struggle with anxiety.
“It was really hard for me to get out of my own head,” Nezami said. “I felt like I was a failure if I didn’t excel. It was hard to try and figure out how to process that. I felt really alone.”.
Yet as a first-generation, minority student, Nezami was far from alone in her experience. In a recent cross-sectional study measuring depression and anxiety among college students, the University of Georgia found that anxiety was more prevalent in minority racial groups. The study also found that depression was more likely to be reported among first-generation students in historically Black colleges as well as predominantly white colleges.
As an Afghan-American, Nezami said she wished she had known about the variety of mental health symptoms people could experience.
“It’s not all one size fits all. Sometimes you don’t recognize the symptoms of anxiety or depression,” Nezami said.
Diversity Liaison Counselor Nina Hernandez Beithon, who works at Student Counseling Services, said some first-generation students are hesitant to ask for resources when they first approach her for help.
“I like to be able to kind of talk through that process with people specifically around mental health resources that are available,” Hernandez Beithon said.
Hernandez Beithon said although everything is technically available to everyone, first-gen students face specific barriers to getting access to mental health services.
“One example of that is that we used to have first come, first served here at Student Counseling Services, where the first people in the semester early on would take all of the spaces for all of the counselors, and often those people were not first-gen students,” Hernandez Beithon said.
Hernandez Beithon said that although it can be challenging for first-generation students to seek mental health resources, doing so can be healing for their communities and families.
“Many times parents are just doing survival work”, Hernandez Beithon said. “For their kids to be able to actually look at patterns and family and change some things and find some joy and some peace, I think it can be really healing.”
First-gen students have options for getting mental health support on campus. Here are a few places to seek those resources:
On-Campus Resources:
Boynton Mental Health, one of the two main counseling services on campus, is a branch of Boynton Health that provides UMN full-time students with psychiatry services, group therapy, psychotherapy services, Solution Focused Therapy, Care Coordination and Substance Use/Abuse Care. You can call them at 612-624-1444 to schedule a consultation and appointment.
Center for Spirituality and Healing Earl E. Bakken Center
Founded in 1995, the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the Earl E. Bakken Center is a branch of the School of Nursing dedicated to providing well-being through workshops and academic courses. They also have a website called “Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing,” where people can find educational resources about mental health conditions, as well as whole health practices. There is also a well-being guide for students that focuses on a variety of topics like mindfulness and how to deal with anxiety.
Boynton’s Pet Away Worry and Stress (PAWS)
Founded in 2013, Boynton’s PAWS gives students a therapeutic outlet to de-stress by petting their professional therapy animals, including chickens, dogs and rabbits. The program’s schedule shows when services are provided each week. Locations vary every time.
Student Counseling Services, the other main counseling service on campus, provides UMN students with services such as individual counseling, affinity groups, educational workshops, academic counseling and counseling groups. They also have extension programs such as Let’s Talk and Learn to Live.
Student Counseling Services’ BIPOC Mental Health Collective
Founded in 2019, the Black Indigenous People of Color Mental Health Collective focuses on providing conversations and spaces surrounding mental health in BIPOC communities. The BIPOC Mental Health Collective meets every fourth Thursday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in person and virtually.
Off-Campus Resources:
Sukoon Healing of the Minds Helpline
Sukoon Healing of The Minds, a non-profit mental health organization based in Minnesota, aims to provide accessible and culturally-informed mental health treatment and resources. Sukoon Healing of the Minds provides a helpline where people can be connected to mental health coaches for a listening ear and assistance regarding mental health aid. The number is available to use nationwide. Their number is 763-363-2088 and their hours are from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., six days a week, except Wednesdays.
Established by Mental Health Minnesota, the Minnesota Warmline is a helpline for people living in the state of Minnesota answered by peer support staff who have experience living with a mental health condition. They are there to lend a listening ear, provide support and connect people to resources. Their number is 651-288-0400 and their hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
Peer Support Connection Minnesota Warmline
This is another Minnesota Warmline helpline, except this one is established by Wellness in the Woods, a non-profit organization based in Minnesota that is dedicated to improving mental health access, as well as substance abuse recovery, especially in underserved and rural communities in the state. Their number is 844-739-6369 and their hours are from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., seven days a week. For those who want to be connected to an African American peer, they are available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 855-244-5050.
Student Clubs/Organizations Dedicated to Mental Health Awareness:
You Matter UMN is a student club focused on mental health advocacy. They hold meetings and outings throughout the semester. You can follow them on Instagram at @youmatterumn.
Students Acknowledge Mental Illness (SAMI)
This organization, like the BIPOC Mental Health Collective in SCS, focuses on mental health for those in the BIPOC community. You can follow them on Instagram at @sami_umn.