Durham College says it’s committed to supporting the mental health of its students to the same extent as it has always done, regardless of less funding.
“It’s a priority for not only the Campus Health and Wellness Centre but all of Durham College to be able to support students’ mental health,” says Jessica-Lee Bender, the health promotion coordinator for the Campus Health and Wellness Centre.
The centre gives students 20-minute intake appointments to assess specific mental health needs. Durham College also has connections to doctors who are able to manage any medications being taken by a student.
Other supports include psychotherapy as well as wellness coaches. Wellness coaches are meant to help and coach students one-on-one to set and reach their goals, including but not limited to academic goals, financial goals and relationship goals.
Bender says students can book an appointment to see a wellness coach in person or online.
She adds the mental health services which are provided serve “a broad range for all students,” demonstrated by the tailored mental health support staff do to accommodate students with specific needs in contrast to a one-size-fits-all approach.
“I think that having therapists on-campus could really help with mental health in Durham College and provide more options for support, especially since it’d be on-campus,” says Joel Gabud, a student at Durham College.
There are also services for specific needs.
This includes the Access and Support Centre, which generally services people with disabilities or disorders by providing accommodation plans.
The First Peoples Indigenous Centre connects Indigenous people with their cultures and traditions and the Durham College Student Association has general support, including student health planning and counselling.