St. Petersburg College Partners With Mantra Health To Expand Mental Health Services For Students
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Petersburg College (SPC) today announced its new partnership with Mantra Health, which allows students to receive free mental health services through an online platform that is convenient, personalized and a step forward into the future of health care.
Mantra Health utilizes telehealth and an ecosystem of proprietary software applications to deliver evidence-based mental health care that integrates directly with on-campus services. This approach supports its mission of improving the mental health of young adults, regardless of their ability to pay.
"Our students' mental health is a high priority for St. Petersburg College," said Dr. Tonjua Williams, SPC President. "To achieve academic success and gain opportunities for economic mobility, students must have access to mental health and wellness services. As more students are seeking support this year than ever, this partnership with Mantra Health will give our students resources that are critical to their health and well-being."
SPC has 11 learning sites throughout Pinellas County, with more than 46,000 students. Between 2019 and 2020 the number of college students seeking mental health care in Florida increased by 30 percent. This year, that number has increased to about 80 percent. While the number of students reaching out for support is on the rise, the U.S. is simultaneously experiencing a shortage of mental health providers. Pinellas County is among several counties in the state suffering from the shortage of mental health providers, which is affecting 188 million people nationally.
"We're proud to be launching with our second school in Florida," said Mantra Health Co-Founder, Ed Gaussen. "We like to partner with schools that not only care about increasing access for students but want to make sure they are also getting quality care. We saw that alignment very early through our conversations with St Petersburg."
While Mantra Health has historically worked with schools that offer students a counseling center on campus, SPC's unique approach leverages mental health-trained faculty and staff who make referrals to mental health care resources.
"There are multiple campuses around the country who do not necessarily have a traditional counseling center set up," added Mantra Health Co-Founder, Matt Kennedy. "At SPC, students can sign up for our program directly on our website or get referred by a trained faculty or staff member. They are then able to see a mental health provider within the same week over telehealth and have it covered by their school."
Mantra Health began partnering with college and university leaders in late 2019, providing an integrated virtual care platform that puts campus health providers and Mantra mental health specialists on the same page, getting students off of waiting lists and keeping them from falling through the cracks. Mantra Health's closed-loop telemental health platform made it possible for schools to continue to provide care with an immediate and seamless shift to 100 percent online care when many campuses closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. St. Petersburg College campuses remain open, but most students are taking virtual classes.
To learn more about how Mantra Health is transforming campus mental health care, visit MantraHealth.com
About Mantra Health
Mantra Health's mission is to improve the mental health of young adults by making evidence-based mental health services, including psychiatric specialty care, within reach of all colleges and universities. Mantra Health partners with institutions of higher education to respond to the campus mental health crisis, making sure young people navigate the transition to adulthood with the mental health support services they need. Mantra Health's innovative closed-loop telehealth platform makes evidence-based mental health services accessible and affordable by integrating directly with college and university health, wellness and counseling centers. Learn more about Mantra Health at MantraHealth.com.
About St. Petersburg College
St. Petersburg College alumni rank 1st in the state of Florida for possessing the most valuable job skills among two-year colleges. Founded in 1927, SPC is Florida's first two-year college and the first to offer bachelor's degrees. We offer more than 110 degree and certificate programs, including many high-demand, high-skill industry-recognized workforce certifications. Our career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to give students the skills they need to meet the needs of today's employers. Our new Pathways Program gives students a clear roadmap to success to ensure they are taking the right courses - in the right sequence - to meet their goals.
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SOURCE Mantra Health
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