New Office of Student Care seeks to prioritize mental health
Photo by Taylor Baker.
Wellness and mental health are the focus of Lee’s new Office of Student Care.
According to a 2019 report from the American College Health Association, over 65% of college students have experienced “overwhelming anxiety” in the past year. The report also shows over 45% of college students have “felt so depressed that it was difficult to function” in the past year.
“There is a rising mental health crisis in our generation,” said Jane Thompson, president of Say Something, a mental health awareness club on campus. “I think that Lee has done a good job of pioneering this conversation, but it definitely still needs to be addressed … Right now, you have to go looking for those kinds of conversations. Anything regarding mental health is something you have to dig for.”
Director of Student Care Brittany Gates is ready to bring these issues to the surface. Gates, a Lee alumna, is a licensed professional counselor with a mental health service provider designation in the state of Tennessee. She previously worked at the Lee University Counseling Center as an assistant director and staff counselor.
“My heart for this position was cultivated through hearing students’ stories and their suffering,” said Gates. “Just being with students and their stories really opened my eyes to all the things that people endure.”
Gates emphasizes the purpose of the new office is to further develop wellness on campus.
“[The goal of the office is] to be a resource for any student who needs additional support,” said Gates. “There are tons of supportive resources on campus, so it’s not in replacement of any of those — but one of the ways this office can help students is to promote a general sense of wellness and mental health advocacy and awareness across campus as a whole.”
The new office will also be responsible for Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational institutions that receive federal funding. Title IX also addresses sexual harassment and sexual violence. As part of its responsibilities, the Office of Student Care will oversee both prevention and response initiatives on campus.
Amy Ballard, director of Human Resources and current Title IX coordinator, believes this transition will better serve the student body.
“This will allow the student population to be able to receive more immediate services than could ever be provided before,” said Ballard. “This foundation can only continue to grow.”
As Gates steps into her new role, she hopes to create a difference in the lives of the students. In time, she also sees broader growth for Lee.
“I want all students to know they matter and to feel heard and seen,” said Gates. “I hope to create space and experiences for students to grow in their own self-awareness, to feel educated and informed and to feel empowered with resources and knowledge to engage their lives and their relationships in a healthy way. In turn, our campus will be positively impacted by their decisions and influence moving forward.”
For more information, contact Brittany Gates at bgates@leeuniversity.edu.
