LiveWell OU promoted mental health awareness and the launch of TimelyCare, a new 24/7 virtual mental health service for OU students, at an event Wednesday.
LiveWell OU is a program centered on the university’s overall wellness, supporting a healthy lifestyle throughout the community. Students lined up in the Oklahoma Memorial Union courtyard for the Sips and Succulents event to receive free succulent plants and customizable drinks.
OU announced its partnership with TimelyCare in August as an extension of the preexisting campus health and counseling center resources. David Surratt, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, wrote in a press release that the initiative’s goal is to ensure that students have access to the mental health resources they need and expand access to care around the clock.
Margaret Pool, Goddard Health Center director for clinical administration, said the event was meant to promote the new initiative and general mental health awareness.
“We promote (TimelyCare) more like after-hours care,” Pool said. “When you can’t come to Goddard – weekends, evenings, things like that – it’s virtual health care and mental health care resources.”
Students can download the TimelyCare app to their phone or other devices and select from a wide-range of virtual care options from licensed physicians and counselors in all 50 states at no cost.
Christina Truong, a microbiology freshman, commented on TimelyCare and the importance of students having 24/7 access to resources.
“You can never tell when a mental breakdown, or anything of this sort, will happen,” Truong said. “I like that there’s care from other support systems and circles, and I love that there is an option for students.”
Truong said events like Sips and Succulents are great ways to inform students about the resources available to them.
“Events like this really bring out the available resources here at OU,” Truong said. “Many students may not know about it, and they go to events like this and see all the care put into these resources and can reach out if they ever need to.”
This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Natalie Armour. Andrew Higgins and Gretchen Schultz copy edited this story.
