An all too familiar and common example: A professor struggles at home after a student reaches out expressing they are grappling with a mental health matter. The professor doesn’t know what to do. and calls you for advice.

Professor- I received an urgent message from a student late last night, and I'm already overwhelmed with my own work and personal life. I wasn’t trained in this. I'm really not sure what to do?

Sarah (HR Rep/ Department Head)- What happened? Are they okay?

Professor- The student is going through some sort of mental health crisis. They are extremely distressed. With everything going on at home, I'm finding it difficult to cope with my own stress, let alone figure out how to help this student.

Sarah- I see how this is feeling overwhelming. It is important to prioritize your well-being, too. And, it is important the student receives support.

Professor - What should I do then? I want to help but I'm really at a loss. I just feel unprepared to deal with this situation amidst my own troubles.

Sarah- I hear you. It’s challenging to manage one’s own life while trying to support others. The best course of action might be to contact the student in person or via email to ensure the student is aware of available resources and encourage them to reach out for help.

Professor- That makes sense. It’s important they get the help they need. I guess I should consider seeking support for myself, too.

Campuses are experiencing many pressures these days. Students, staff, and faculty are managing a challenging world, the continued impact of the pandemic, and the resulting stress and distress that comes with it.

We’re all juggling our roles and feelings, and it’s tough. Faculty and staff want to be there for students, but figuring out the right way to help isn’t easy. We’re learning that our struggles are more connected than we thought, and when one of us struggles, it impacts us all. The good news is that we are also a resilient bunch! There’s a shared desire to understand and support each other. Together we can create an environment where we lift each other up and grow stronger.

The national Healthy Minds study has, for the last 10 years, assessed campus mental health and well-being. In the last two years, the Healthy Minds study also started assessing faculty and staff mental health and well-being!

It’s like a check-in to see how we’re all doing, how we’re handling our challenges, and how we feel about campus supports. It’s also about our perceptions of student mental health and well-being. It helps us all understand each other a bit better and see where we can support one another more.

According to Healthy Minds (Lipson et al., 2021), while 95% of faculty/staff say it is their responsibility to connect to students experiencing psychological distress:

58% don’t feel prepared to recognize a student exhibiting distress.

66% don’t feel prepared to approach students to discuss concerns.

49% don’t feel prepared to recommend mental health services to students.

We’ve taken a page out of the Healthy Minds study and conducted an Iowa study! We reached out to seven community colleges across our state and got 1,135 responses from our colleagues and peers. Here's a quick glimpse of what we found:

97% of us feel we’re part of our campus community and see the value in showing positive health and wellness behaviors to our students. But, we’ve also got some roadblocks.

26.3% feel there might be someone better suited to help.

21.67% are unsure of what to say or do.

21.94% don’t want to make students feel uncomfortable.

The National College Health Assessment (NCHA) (2023) publishes data annually noting that students struggle with significant mental health and well-being challenges, including distress-level concerns. The NCHA also publishes data noting that the majority of the same students also see themselves as flourishing, reminding us that even when we struggle, we can also be doing well.

By shifting the prevalent campus narrative to recognize the whole range of student experiences, we better frame more supportive and realistic conversations about mental health.

A lot of us haven’t had any formal training in being the first point of contact for mental health issues, but are open to learning. We want to know more about available resources, how to spot warning signs, how to initiate conversations about mental health, and learn about suicide prevention. Our deep dive into this study helps us understand each other better and shows us how we can support one another more.

While 30% of faculty/staff are grappling with intense burnout on Iowa campuses, there’s also a prevailing and resilient spirit of flourishing and competence radiating across Iowa campuses.

The majority of faculty and staff, still feel empowered and capable, and see our institutions as platforms where we can truly unleash our full potential. This reflects our strength, underlining our collective ability to navigate challenges while embracing our capabilities, even while we also struggle.

Let’s remember to hold onto our resilience, acknowledge the inevitability of struggle, and continue to create environments where we can “care for others while we care for ourselves!”