College students face some of the highest rates of mental health illness.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among students, with 24,000 suicide attempts every year, impacting thousands of families, friends, and college communities.
The statistics are stark: 14% of US college students report having suicidal thoughts, a rate more than three times higher than the national adult average. Anxiety and depression rates are also elevated among college students, with 44% experiencing overwhelming anxiety and 36% battling depression.
The traditional treatment approach of mental health leave and hospitalization, while well-intentioned, doesn’t meet the complex needs students face. Instead, it can leave them feeling isolated and even more vulnerable. If we are to reduce the tragic loss of students to suicide a tailored approach that considers the unique requirement of student’s mental health is required to support their long-term recovery.
The High Rates of College Suicide
88% of students report moderate to severe stress, caused by academic pressures and social isolation. While four in ten college students have recently considered withdrawing from studies, with more than 55% citing emotional stress as the cause. Financial pressures worsen the situation, with 43% of full-time students working part-time to afford necessities.
Mental health stigma only adds to the problem, discouraging many students from seeking help; compounding by a fear of being ‘kicked off’ campus for their mental health challenges.
Even more tragically, the suicide of a student has a ripple effect: the loss of a classmate or friend to suicide increases the risk of an attempt among not just their friends, but all of their peers. And as almost two-thirds of students know someone who has attempted or died by suicide, the risk is high, prompting a critical need for effective, and empathetic support structures on campuses to stop this escalating crisis.
Traditional Approaches to Suicidality in Colleges
To address suicidality, colleges frequently employ welfare checks and implement emergency hospitalization to de-escalate a mental health crisis. This approach ensures immediate student safety but fails to address students’ deeper mental health needs.
Hospitalization provides a brief respite but often disrupts students’ academic and social routines, leaving them isolated and disconnected. Moreover, hospitalization actually serves to increase a student’s risk of suicide, with rates increasing upwards of 400% upon discharge.
Many college students return to campus feeling more alienated than before, which can compound their struggles and undermine the benefits of crisis intervention.
A Better Approach: Vita Health’s Telehealth Intervention
Vita Health’s clinically-validate suicide prevention program offers a forward-thinking alternative that emphasizes long-term recovery. Proven to reduce suicide attempts by 60% and deaths by 80%, their telehealth intervention combines remote risk assessments and virtual counseling alongside an app, to monitor risk and deliver targeted intervention that saves lives.
These services seamlessly integrate with existing college support systems. Pilot programs at leading US universities have significantly reduced student risk and attempts, with students expressing positive experiences. As one anonymous participant shared, “I felt incredibly validated and was able to understand feelings that are often misunderstood.”
Telehealth’s Unique Benefits: Compassionate, Connected, Cost-effective
Vita’s proven model offers students stable mental health support that keeps them connected to their lives, studies, and friends, and helps to reduce the burden on college health centers. Unlike the disorienting isolation that hospitalization can bring, Vita Health’s telehealth solution allows students to receive essential treatment without having to leave a familiar environment or interrupting their studies.
Beyond emotional benefits, Vita’s care is also financially advantageous for colleges. Traditional hospitalization can result in high medical and legal costs, but Vita Health’s telehealth model is a sustainable, scalable solution with full payor integration and reimbursement options for suicide prevention. This affordability allows institutions to effectively meet students’ growing mental health needs while aligning with their well-being and the institution’s resources.
A Call to Action
As academic institutions face increasing rates of suicide and mental health challenges, it’s time to embrace new approaches. By partnering with Vita Health and adopting proven, compassionate suicide prevention telehealth solutions, colleges can better support their students and prevent unnecessary tragedies.To learn more about implementing Vita Health’s clinically validated suicide intervention and how we can assist your staff, visit Vita Health.
