UNESCO: All Students Should Access Free Mental Health Services, Funding is Governments’ Duty

Governments should support higher education institutions with funding to ensure they provide free mental health services to students on campus, a new UNESCO report suggests.

The report "Supporting the mental health and well-being of higher education students" launched by UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) stressed the need for all students to access free mental healthcare.

According to it, students should be supported especially when they do not have access to public services or the latter are insufficient, Erudera.com reports.

The report advises that higher education institutions should include all costs for these services within tuition and other funding, not requiring students to pay any additional fees for usage.

“These services should be integrated into student affairs offices, for HEIs that have them, as part of a holistic approach to supporting students. Governments should support public institutions in offering these services through dedicated funding,” the report adds.

Additionally, to reduce stress and support students’ mental health and well-being, mental healthcare services need to be available in-person, by phone, and online or combining in-person counseling, online chat, and more, it said.

Additionally, it has been recommended to offer crisis support 24/7 to prevent suicide and other emergencies.

“Confidentiality and accessibility in students' preferred language should be prioritized. The provision of 24/7 crisis lines, particularly for suicide prevention and other severe psychological emergencies, should be considered,”

Other recommendations include:

• Integrating mental health services into the broader healthcare system.
• Investing in training faculty and staff to identify early symptoms of mental health issues.
• Implementing flexible academic policies, which allow flexible attendance in courses for students experiencing mental health problems.
• Launching campaigns to overcome stigma and misconceptions as well as raise mental health awareness.

UNESCO data indicate up to 50 percent of students in higher education in some countries experience mental health challenges. According to a Healthy Minds survey published last year, more than 60 percent of students in the United States faced at least one mental health problem during the 2020/21 academic year.

The study collected data from 133 campuses across the nation, surveying over 90,000 students. The same found that 44 percent of students were suffering from depression, 37 percent from anxiety, and 15 percent were considering suicide.

In a previous interview with Erudera News, psychotherapist Irina Ciureanu suggested integrating mental health into curriculums, saying that by doing so, universities can equip students with the crucial skills to understand and manage their mental health.