Task Force on Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

Charge

Johns Hopkins University is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of all of its students. The university seeks to instill a culture of care by sending a clear and consistent message about the importance of wellness and self-care. We want to promote an environment that encourages healthy choices and supports students in successfully managing situational crisis, stress, and psychological issues. In the last five years, Johns Hopkins, along with campuses across the nation, has seen an increase in demand for mental health services. The university is committed to ensuring that outreach and support programs, policies, and practices regarding student psychological wellbeing meet the diverse needs of our students and reflect both the current state of scientific knowledge and national best practices. To this end, we will convene a Task Force on Student Mental Health and Wellbeing, consisting of student, faculty, and administrative representatives from across the university. The task force will assess the current state of mental health services and resources at Johns Hopkins, canvass current research on effective strategies for mental health promotion, benchmark against best practices at peer institutions, and make recommendations for effective services and interventions that can lead to an enhanced climate of health at Johns Hopkins. Guided particularly by the world-class expertise of our faculty, the task force will:

• Consider the environments across JHU that affect the well-being and mental health of students, including support needs related to cultural diversity and identity;
   
• Evaluate the need for mental health services and the capacity for JHU services to meet current and future demand in order to identify potential gaps in service;
   
• Review policies and practices designed to encourage students in seeking assistance such as leave of absence and return, and academic and support service accommodations; and
   
• Evaluate efforts for increased awareness of mental health issues and educational and training opportunities to foster both resilience and early assistance.