The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Towson University are partnering with an online platform to support students with their mental health.
The two colleges team up on the site “TogetherAll” in providing students with free access to 24/7 online peer-to-peer mental health support. According to the website, the platform is monitored by trained clinicians to provide a safe space for students who are struggling with stress, depression, anxiety, and isolation.
UMBC said the peer support system of the online platform has often been cited as a necessary resource and provided some of the impetus for the new platform.
“We got a lot of requests over the years for students to have a way to get support from each other and support each other and [TogetherAll] was a way that provided some faith and a convenient infrastructure to do that,” UMBC Counseling Center Director Bruce Herman said.
Meanwhile, Towson believes that through “TogetherAll,” students will feel less isolated, and they will have a better coping mechanism for stressors brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Students’ well-being is improved by knowing they’re not going through this alone,” Towson Counseling Service Interim Director Mollie Herman stated.
Students Urged to Access Platform
Director of Loyola University Counseling Center Jason Parcover noticed that many students who access the online platform spend more time on it after becoming acquainted with its features.
He also suggested that students seem to find the idea meaningful and beneficial. “Explore the various chat rooms and the other resources that are provided… Finding ways to connect with others is an important part of mental health and this is a great opportunity to do exactly that,” he explained.
UMBC and Towson students can visit www.togetherall.com for the free online mental health service. They can use their academic email addresses to register.