Trellis Foundation and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute Will Host the 2024 Higher Education Policy Summit in Austin April 19
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This unique statewide summit brings together thought leaders and policymakers from across Texas and the nation to discuss opportunities to improve postsecondary mental health services for students and staff and address workforce shortages.
Austin, TX — Trellis Foundation and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute are hosting the 2024 Higher Education Policy Summit in Austin on April 19.
The summit connects national and state thought leaders, policymakers, elected officials, and practitioners to discuss opportunities to improve the mental health and wellbeing of college students to improve student academic success and keep more students on the path toward graduation. Convening approximately three hundred postsecondary leaders, the summit will be the first event of its size in Texas on the critical topic of mental health in higher education and addressing critical workforce shortages.
Date: Friday, April 19, 2024
Where: Westin Austin at the Domain
11301 Domain Drive
Austin, TX 78758
Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT
Programming will emphasize the intersections between education and the workforce, with a focus on the role that postsecondary mental health plays in ensuring students get “to and through” their higher education.
Key speakers include:
- Kristin Boyer, Trellis Foundation Executive Director
- Leilani Lamb, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
- Dr. Harrison Keller, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- Dr. Sunny Patel, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
The importance of mental health supports at the college level for student success cannot be overstated. A 2022 study from the Lumina Foundation and Gallup found that emotional stress and personal mental health were the top two reasons why students considered stopping their coursework, far eclipsing both cost and coursework difficulty. This held true for both 2- and 4-year students.
“The Trellis Foundation Board approved nearly $3 million in grant funding over the past two years to support institutions and projects that help us better understand student mental health needs and how to address them,” said Kristin Boyer, executive director of Trellis Foundation. “We’re excited to share what we’ve learned about the connection between mental health and student success with our colleagues and partners in Texas and across the nation.”
“The Meadows Institute is thrilled to partner with our friends at the Trellis Foundation to elevate the critical issue of mental health and wellbeing and the role it plays in ensuring students get to and through college,” said Michelle Harper, executive vice president for Child and Family Wellness at the Meadows Institute. “In collaboration with our partners across Texas, we want to work with our institutions of higher education to identify, promote, and scale promising practices across the state and the nation, especially around workforce shortages.”