Beyond the counseling center: Harnessing AI for proactive mental wellness support

In recent years, college counseling centers have faced an increasing demand for mental health services (Wiley, 2024), often focusing on crisis intervention rather than preventative care due to resource constraints. According to public health standards, mental illness among college populations has reached epidemic levels (Catalano, 2024). The number of students experiencing clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and depression has doubled over the last decade, with nearly half of students currently facing these issues (Abelson et al., 2024). Nearly two-thirds of college students who drop out do so because of mental health issues (Melnyk et al., 2024). Implementing AI-driven mental health tools can help address these issues early on, not only improving student mental health and well-being, but also potentially reducing dropout rates and improving overall student retention. As mental health challenges among college students continue to rise (Wiley, 2024), there is a pressing need to explore innovative solutions that can offer proactive support. This is where AI-powered mental well-being tools can come into play.

High demand and limited supply: Expanding counseling centers’ reach with AI

Counseling centers simply cannot address the campus mental health epidemic alone. As Bernadette Melnyk, Vice President for Health Promotion and Chief Wellness Officer at the Ohio State University, observed at the American College Health Association’s 2024 meeting, we must do a better job at implementing preventative interventions. While more counselors are being hired, mental health is not improving (Melnyk et al., 2024). This, of course, does not mean that hardworking counselors and counseling centers are not doing an excellent job, nor that they should be replaced (Abelson et al, 2024). Rather, as Sarah Ketchen Lipson, Associate Professor at Boston University and Principal Investigator at Health Minds Network noted at a recent webinar on digital mental health programs at colleges and universities, “We know we’re not going to be able to staff our way out of the problem” (Abelson et al., 2024). Enough clinicians will not be able to be hired to provide one-on-one or group therapy to students who might benefit. As Kate, a Wayhaven user and student at George Washington University, aptly observed, “Mental health care on campuses is so short staffed and underfunded. There's also a lack of providers able to provide care to the number of patients in need of services right now. I think [AI] is such an interesting idea to fill that community need.” Self-guided digital mental wellness interventions can be scaled and disseminated to full populations of students, possibly preventing the need for students to leverage higher-intensive human counselors or therapists. AI-driven interventions can expand scale campus well-being systems in ways that we unfortunately cannot do with clinicians alone (Abelson et al., 2024). By offering immediate, accessible support, AI tools may help prevent adverse mental wellness/well-being outcomes, managing the high demand and limited supply effectively to create a supportive environment that extends beyond the counseling center.

The proactive nature of AI in mental wellness

AI-driven mental wellness platforms can prevent worsening of well-being outcomes. By offering 24/7 support and personalized interventions, these tools can help build resilience among students, reducing the overall burden on counseling centers. They can assist students in developing and practicing coping skills, equipping them to handle stress and challenges more effectively. Ryan, a Wayhaven user at Missouri State, shared his perspective: “There are so many students who experience anxiety, depression, and stressors throughout their school day.  Having a way to receive some form of positive counseling at the tip of their fingers through the AI system is incredibly intriguing to me.”Wayhaven’s AI, for example, is designed to deliver CBT, ACT, and DBT-based techniques tailored to each student's unique situation and needs, promoting a customized, proactive approach to mental wellness. The approach offers students in-the-moment support when they want and need it, while also helping to cultivate long-term skills that they can draw on to deal with stressors.This proactive approach prevents negative mental wellness outcomes and reduces the load on traditional well-being services.

A holistic public health approach with AI

A comprehensive public health approach to college well-being, combining AI tools with traditional services, addresses the varied needs of the student population. Decision-makers at college and state levels should consider digital interventions as part of a holistic strategy that includes promotion, prevention, treatment intervention, and crisis management (Abelson et al., 2024). By pursuing all these elements together, universities can create a supportive environment that promotes mental wellness for all students. By providing self-guided and scalable solutions, AI tools can address the needs of students with subclinical problems and act as a stepping stone to higher-intensity interventions if needed. This approach also provides a resource for faculty and staff to direct students to when they feel overburdened or are unsure how to handle well-being concerns. Faculty and staff, including housekeeping staff who interact with students most frequently, can be empowered to direct students to appropriate resources, especially after hours (Hanenberg et al., 2024). Integrating AI as part of broad, stepped-care support systems allows for a wider reach, ensuring that more students receive the care that they need in a timely manner. This approach not only addresses immediate needs but also helps build a resilient and mentally healthy student body.

Meeting students where they’re at: AI as a mental well-being augment

AI tools serve as a supplement to traditional mental wellness services. Students report high satisfaction with these interventions and believe that they benefit from them (Abelson et al., 2024). More and more, students are turning to using generative AI such as ChatGPT for mental wellness concerns on their own (Alayan et al., 2024.) Digital mental wellness interventions are crucial because they offer an alternative means of engagement for students who may never choose to visit a counseling center (Abelson et al., 2024).

AI tools such as Wayhaven that are expressly devoted to addressing mental wellness/well-being concerns, grounded in evidence-based practices, and developed in partnership with licensed professionals represent a safe alternative to generalized AIs, a modality with which students are already engaging. Kayla, another UNC student, expressed, “I am not going to lie. I used to use ChatGPT for my problems and [Wayhaven] is way more personal and I feel like I'm talking to a real person. It gave me recommendations that I can actually use in my day to day life.” Acknowledging students’ preferences for multiple means of mental wellness/well-being engagement, including interacting with AI tools, stands a great chance of meeting their needs.

Equity and inclusivity through AI-driven prevention

AI tools must be designed to prioritize and support marginalized student populations, such as BIPOC, first-generation, low-income, LGBTQ+, and international students. These groups are more likely to experience mental health symptoms and less likely to receive support from traditional counseling centers (Abelson et al., 2024). By integrating preventative well-being strategies and considering the unique needs of these populations from the start (Abelson et al., 2024), AI mental wellness tools can provide early intervention and support. Developing these tools with input from these communities ensures that they meet the unique mental wellness needs of all students, helping to prevent detrimental mental wellness outcomes and promoting overall campus well-being.

Building community and engagement through AI

Loneliness and social isolation are sadly “central, recurring” themes on college campuses (Catalano, 2024). John Catalano (2024), Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, notes that many students simply go to class, return to their rooms, eat in the dining center, and “rinse and repeat”, lacking the social skills to build groups of friends. BIPOC, first generation, international, veteran, graduate students, commuter, and non-traditional students may be more at risk of the harmful effects from lack of social connection (Alayan et al., 2024). Catalano (2024) observes that student engagement and community-building, including helping students become involved in clubs and meetings, is needed as part of a plan for change to address mental wellness issues, including loneliness and isolation, on campuses. AI tools can surface and encourage students to engage in campus activities, build social skills, and transfer interpersonal skills developed through AI interactions to real-life situations. They can thus help foster a sense of community and social connectedness, a protective factor against mental wellness issues such as loneliness and isolation.

Conclusion

By embracing AI-driven well-being platforms, colleges and universities can move beyond crisis intervention, fostering a proactive approach to student wellness.These tools not only extend the reach of counseling centers but also empower faculty and staff to support mental wellness / well-being on campus. As we continue to refine and evaluate these interventions, the goal remains clear: to build a resilient, supportive community where every student can thrive.

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References

Abelson, S., Eisenberg, D., Lipson, S. K., & Schueller, S. M. (2024, June 24). Digital Mental Health Programs at Colleges and Universities Webinar [Webinar].

Alayan, A., Chiles, L., Greer, D., & Patel, R. (May 28 - June 1, 2024). Combatting the Devastating Impact of Loneliness on College Students [conference presentation]. American College Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

Catalano, J. D. (May 28 - June 1, 2024). College student depression, anxiety, and suicide: Institutional factors and mitigation strategies[conference presentation]. American College Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

Hanenberg, S., Hoch, A., Slaton, K., & Webb, K. (May 28 - June 1, June 24). Increasing Retention and Well-Being: The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Campus [conference presentation]. American College Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

Melnyk, B., Tucker, S., & Van Dromme, L. (May 28 - June 1, 2024). A Self-Screening Tool with Tailored Resources for Stress Reduction and Improving Well-being [conference presentation]. American College Health Association 2024 Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

Wiley. (2024, February 27). The student mental health landscape. Retrieved from https://res6.info.wiley.com/res/tracking/b2e96490fae6d115f42ed3a8de994fef236452a83569c0ace0355535f4601a7c.pdf