OU will expand its partnership with TELUS Health, providing online and Norman-based students with virtual mental health support 24 hours a day.
OU will begin providing all students on the Norman campus with 24/7 access to counseling on Monday. Kesha Keith, director of strategic initiatives, wrote in an email to OU Daily that the university is currently evaluating and identifying areas for improvement in its mental health services.
As of now, only Norman-based and online students will have access to TELUS Health. According to Keith, students at OU Health Sciences Center and OU-Tulsa can still schedule appointments through HSC Student Counseling Services. Keith wrote both campuses provide access to wellness education resources, group counseling sessions and Therapy Assistance Online, an online platform offering brief and effective educational sessions.
The new initiative is not a replacement but an addition to the counseling services provided by the University Counseling Center, according to Keith. Keith wrote that the number of students seeking help has grown steadily in the last few years and the partnership aims to provide students with more options for immediate mental health support.
Around-the-clock counseling will allow more flexibility for students to access necessary help without prior scheduling. According to Keith, despite the new collaboration, OU is not expecting the demand for help through the University Counseling Center to decline.
“The University Counseling Center will continue its crucial work and anticipates the same numbers, if not, more seeking services,” Keith wrote.
Apart from English, TELUS Health provides counseling in French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish. Students may also request to speak to someone in a language other than ones provided. Keith said all Norman students, regardless if they are on the student health insurance plan, will receive free access to TELUS Health.
TELUS Health offers both real-time single sessions and scheduled sessions. Real-time single sessions with an available counselor provide students with immediate mental health support without prior scheduling. Scheduled sessions are meant for students looking to receive support from the same counselor over time.
To access support, students can either download the student support app, call TELUS Health at 866-408-2828 or visit the website.
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd and Anusha Fathepure. Natalie Armour and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
