A new app and website that add onto USC's existing mental health resources are now live.
The free app, called CampusWell, increases resources for students with new call helplines, expanded access to online counseling services and a wellness hub for students, according to Dr. Elizabeth-Clare Porter, the director of Counseling and Psychiatry.
Previously, USC had after-hours phone helplines that would transfer calls in the evening. This partnership with a company called Christie Campus Health allows lines to be open 24/7.
When they call 833-664-2854, students will receive an assessment that will then connect them to someone trained for their needs, according to Dr. Porter.
Another area where Student Health Services saw a need for improvement was access to services outside of South Carolina, as there is a large portion of the student body from out-of-state, according to Dr. Porter.
Students can receive counseling in other states and the Office of International Studies is also offering a line for students who are traveling abroad, Dr. Porter, said.
Along with the app, the university is launching a wellness hub that includes a variety information on wellness.
“A student could access that without necessarily going to individual counseling," Dr. Porter said. "So that’ll have a lot of other resources available for students who aren’t necessarily engaged in counseling, but want to dip their toe in and see if there are areas they might want to look more into."
The wellness hub's resources include articles, phone numbers, counselors, places to make appointments and information to get help in-person.
“I think this will be like a really easy way for everything to just kind of be in one place, because like, I got the app and I was looking through the website, and there's different tabs," said Grace DiGiacomo, a student mental health ambassador. "So anything that you want, it's not just mental health, it's overall health."
Implementing these resources at USC is a great step forward to increase students' access to resources, according to Nick Marzullo, president of the Gamecocks for Positivity club.
“The suicide and crisis lifeline itself is severely underfunded in South Carolina, and around 1/3 of the phone calls are never answered," Marzullo said. "So another resource that's known by students would be I think, very critical and helpful."
These new resources are made to build off and better what the university has offered in the past, Dr. Porter said.
“We have known for several years that there are many more needs for mental health services on campus that we can’t necessarily meet all of them, and we were trying to find a way to both increase services available to students, but also provide things that we don’t typically offer,” Dr. Porter said.
24/7 Counseling Hotline: 833-664-2854
Online Wellness Hub: https://thriveatcarolina.com
App: CampusWell
