Tag: Minding College Minds

April 29, 2024

Minding College Minds Learning Community Application

Thank you for your interest in the Minding College Minds™ Learning Community! The Minding College Minds Learning Community is an opportunity offered through a groundbreaking partnership between the Meadows Institute and Texas Success Center with…

Minding College Minds Higher Education Schools and Education

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Thank you for your interest in the Minding College Minds™ Learning Community!

The Minding College Minds Learning Community is an opportunity offered through a groundbreaking partnership between the Meadows Institute and Texas Success Center with generous support from Texas Pioneer Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, Trellis Foundation, ECMC Foundation, and Ascendium. Our second learning community will provide a cohort of institutions with community-connected and implementation-focused guidance on building campus-wide mental health systems. The curriculum follows the Minding College Minds framework with informative, generative sessions linked to strategies under each component of the framework (Universal Supports, Therapeutic Supports, Crisis Supports). Participants in the learning community will have opportunities to engage with peers in sharing their own experiences, expertise, and lessons learned around postsecondary mental health. Institutions will also receive one-on-one technical assistance to evaluate and enhance their institutional mental health strategy.

This is the application form to apply to participate in this learning community. Applications are due by 11:59 pm on May 15, 2025. You will be able to save your progress and come back to submit. This application, which we encourage institutions to complete with a cross-disciplinary team, will entail:

Submission of application questions, including:
- Student enrollment
- Institutional designations (example: MSI, HSI, HBCU, RSI, etc.)
- Identification of 6-8 cross-disciplinary team members who will participate in the learning community (this can be modified through August 2025 and must include your Pathways Lead)
- How does your institution engage students in planning activities for mental health? If your institution does not currently engage students in planning activities for mental health, what is your capacity or processes that support this?
- What does your institution hope to accomplish through learning community participation?
- What does your institution hope to contribute to the group?

Letter of Commitment from your President, Chancellor, or CEO
Minding College Minds Learning Community Implementation Assessment, which can be previewed here – Download PDF

Application Questions

"*" indicates required fields

Step 1 of 7 - Implementation Assessment

Demographic Information

The following will collect demographic information from you, including identification of 6-8 cross-disciplinary team members who will participate in the learning community; team members may come from various departments and divisions including (but not limited to) student services, academic affairs, health and counseling, faculty, recreation and wellness, central administration, etc.

Your Institution*

Any Institutional Designations

Example: MSI, HSI, HBCU, RSI, etc

How many campuses and centers does your institution have? (please list all below)*

Campus / Center

Student Enrollment*

First and Last Name*

Email Address*

Title / Role*

Identify up to 8 possible team members that will contribute to the learning community as your institution’s Implementation Team. Please include your Pathways Lead as a member.

Implementation Team members should come from various departments and divisions including (but not limited to) your Pathways team, student services, academic affairs, health and counseling, faculty, student life, leadership, etc. Team members can be changed through August 2025.

Name

Title

Implementation Assessment

As part of the application process, we are asking institutions who are interested in joining the learning community to share a little more with us about their current mental health supports, services, and offerings. We recognize that every institution operates within a unique context. There are no right or wrong responses on this assessment—the goal is to understand your institution’s unique strengths and areas of opportunity related to mental health. A team of reviewers will use responses to this assessment to coordinate a diverse cohort of up to 10 community colleges across Texas who may be in various places with respect to their mental health journeys but all of whom will bring an important perspective to the group. 

Instructions: The questions that follow include discrete practices and a scale from pre-implementation to full implementation. These practices are organized based on the Minding College Minds Framework, with alignment to the Texas Success Center’s Talent Strong Texas Pathways pillars. Please review each practice and select which phase your institution is in—pre-implementation, early implementation, or full implementation. If you are not sure about whether or how your institution engages in a certain practice, we have provided Possible Data Sources to direct you to where you might find that practice on campus. We strongly encourage your institution to identify the cross-disciplinary team you would like to participate in the learning community first and have that team work together to complete the implementation assessment.

If you would like to review the Minding College Minds Learning Community Implementation Assessment prior to completion, please follow this link to download a PDF - Download PDF

Minding College Minds: Universal Supports

Universal Supports are policies, programs, and interventions that promote belonging and a campus culture that supports student mental health and wellbeing

The college regularly administers a campus climate and/or student mental health needs survey to collect prevalence data for the campus population.*

Possible Data Sources: Healthy Minds Trellis Financial Wellness survey ACHA/NCHA WISHES Other institutional survey

The college provides information about mental health services to all students.*

Possible Data Sources: Orientation programming Syllabi Student IDs

The college implements activities to help students recognize signs of mental distress, develop strategies for lending support, and know how/where to refer for mental health support and information.*

Possible Data Sources: Orientation Materials Required Trainings Awareness Events/Strategies

The college provides professional development and/or training opportunities to faculty and staff on recognizing signs of mental distress, strategies for lending support, and how/where to refer for mental health support and information.*

Possible Data Sources: Required Trainings Optional Trainings Role-specific tools (i.e., best practices for a trauma-informed classroom)

The college has a documented and executed outreach strategy to ensure awareness of mental health supports and services, including outreach strategies for populations that data shows are at higher risk of needing mental health support (e.g., first generation students, students with experience in foster care, parenting students).*

Possible Data Sources: Outreach/Communications Plan Data on number of students/student groups reached

The college systematically implements a screening tool (e.g., depression, anxiety, substance use) to identify individuals with an emerging mental health need and provide referrals for further assessment or treatment.*

Possible Data Sources: Health Center Practices/Policies Advising Practices Basic Needs Assessment Practices

Employee (and student, when offered) health plans include a comprehensive mental health benefit.*

Possible Data Sources: Benefits Package Employee Survey (anon)

The college provides year-round programming that promotes positive mental health and wellbeing across the entire campus community (e.g., de-stress fest, mental health awareness days, tabling activities).*

Possible Data Sources: Campus Programming Schedule

The college’s institutional norms support employees’ use of mental health and wellness benefits.*

Possible Data Sources: Employee/staff survey

Minding College Minds: Therapeutic Supports

Therapeutic Supports are the policies, procedures, programs, and partnerships that institutions should implement to ensure students have access to the services that meet their unique needs.

The counseling center collects and analyzes data to identify the most prevalent student mental health needs and concerns treated on campus.*

Possible Data Sources: Intake Survey Data Counseling Center Data

The college collects data on utilization of on-campus therapeutic services and referrals to off-campus therapeutic services to demonstrate reach and effectiveness.*

Possible Data Sources: Counseling Center Data on utilization and outcomes of on-campus services and off-campus referrals

The college’s Counseling Center (if applicable) has a documented scope of practice and offers evidence- based interventions that are responsive to the most prevalent student needs.*

Possible Data Sources: Counseling Center Operating Manuals

The college has established agreements with community-based providers to support students whose needs fall outside the Counseling Center's scope of practice or for institutions that do not offer a campus counseling center.*

Possible Data Sources: MOUs

Clinical providers(either on campus or in the community) offer care and treatment modalities appropriate to the contexts and needs found in the college’s unique community.*

Possible Data Sources: Student Survey Independent Assessment

Minding College Minds: Crisis Supports

Crisis Supports are the safety net intended for students who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

The college has a formal behavioral intervention team (BIT) that meets regularly to identify students at higher risk of experiencing mental health crisis and intervene when appropriate.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual, Handbook, BIT webpage

The college has a crisis response plan for individuals in crisis, including policies and protocols for immediate response and follow-up communications and supports for the individual and those immediately affected.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual, Employee Handbook, Required Trainings, Suicide Postvention Protocols

The college has a crisis response plan for a crisis that affected the larger campus community, including policies and protocols for immediate response and follow-up communications and supports for communities affected.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual, Employee Handbook, Required Trainings, Suicide Postvention Protocols

The college has a dedicated team of multidisciplinary administrators from across the campus to develop and regularly review crisis response plans.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual

The college has policies and procedures in place to support students/faculty/staff returning to the campus community following a short-term absence for mental health treatment/support.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual, Employee Handbook, Student Handbook

Campus police receive training in mental health de-escalation and response.*

Possible Data Sources: Policy & Procedure Manual Employee Handbook

Minding College Minds: Institutional Commitment

Postsecondary mental health systems uphold student wellbeing and contribute to their persistence and graduation but—like academic programs—their success hinges on ongoing institutional investment of time, strategic commitment, and funding. In addition to financial resources that promote sustainability, commitment from an institution’s People, that is reinforced through its Policies, Processes, and Practices form the bedrock of a successful comprehensive postsecondary mental health strategy.

Institutional Leaders (e.g., President/Chancellor) have publicly stated the college’s commitment to and prioritization of campus mental health and wellbeing systems as part of the college’s student success strategy*

Possible Data Sources: Strategic Plan, Mission Vision Statements, Campus-wide communications, Press release

Institution's budget includes dedicated financial resources to fund and sustain mental health and wellbeing personnel and systems.*

Possible Data Sources: Institution Budget, Grant Budgets

The college has a multi-disciplinary committee (including student services staff, counselors, faculty, and students) with a systematic schedule and established feedback cycle to guide the college’s mental health and wellbeing strategy.*

Possible Data Sources: Strategic Plan Team/Project Charter Team Member Roles & Responsibilities

The college regularly collects feedback from students, faculty, and staff on the effectiveness and appropriateness of campus mental health and wellbeing strategies.*

Possible Data Sources: Student Surveys Faculty Surveys Staff Surveys Focus Groups

The college has a formal and systematic continuous improvement plan for mental health and wellbeing strategies based on quantitative and qualitative data.*

Possible Data Sources: Continuous Improvement Plan

FAQs

Is there a cost?

Thanks to the generosity of the Texas Pioneer Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, Trellis Foundation, ECMC Foundation, and Ascendium, this opportunity is provided to institutions at no cost.

What impact will this have on students?

Student mental health is a key driver of postsecondary persistence and academic success. With proper implementation, efforts to improve mental health systems as part of the college’s comprehensive Pathways strategy promote student wellbeing, belonging, and success.

What is the timeline?

Applications for the Minding College Minds Learning Community will open on April 3, 2025. Learning community sessions will officially launch in August 2025 and will be held monthly in a full-group or in smaller work groups through May 2026. Institutions will also receive technical assistance on each Minding College Minds component from the Meadows Institute.

Timeline Overview

May 15: Application for the Learning Community closes
July 11: Selected institutions notified
July: Public statement announcing participating institutions
August: Learning Community Kickoff

Additional Questions?

For additional questions you may have about the Minding College Minds Learning Community, please contact our team at [email protected].