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With new programs, refreshed campaigns and year‑round services, 5X���� continues to double down on mental health and well-being for students, faculty and staff. The work spans free counseling, skill‑building workshops, employee resources and advocacy events designed to reduce stigma and make care easier to find and use.

It has been two years since Kent State launched its highly anticipated Mental Health Campaign, “Reduce the Stigma. Seek Help. Refer a Flash. From free counseling sessions to peer-led programs and advocacy events, the university has created a culture where mental health is prioritized.

A Month of Awareness, A Year of Care

Kent State observes Mental Health Awareness Month in October, which coincides with the time when campus demand typically peaks. The month features meditation, “coloring for calmness,” boundary‑setting workshops, an Anxiety Toolbox and more, anchored by easy entry points like the Well Hub in the Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center

Students can book no‑cost counseling and group therapy through  Counseling and Psychological Services in Van Campen Hall. CAPS’ Flexible Care Model begins with a clinician consultation and a personalized plan that may include skill workshops, group counseling, self‑help tools and referrals to community providers for specialized or extended care. The model aims to match each student’s goals with the right level of support.

Additionally, the Counseling Center, run by the College of Education, Health and Human Services, provides individual and group counseling to the university community and the public at low or no cost for students, staff and faculty.  “It can seem very intimidating to schedule an appointment for mental health services … but our counselors are there to help,” said Jason Miller, Ph.D., director of The Counseling Center, describing straightforward booking and first‑session goal‑setting. The university reinforces simple steps—daylight exposure, routine, movement—and offers telehealth options to fit student schedules. The Counseling Center is made to work for students as mental health counseling is free of charge at Kent State, and when scheduling an appointment, the counselors work around class and work schedules.

Additional resources are available at the Psychological Clinic in Kent Hall. The Psychological Clinic provides no-cost therapy to students and offers research-supported interventions, including CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and DBT Skills (Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills). Students can access services in person or via tele-health and daytime and evening appointments are available.  

Campaign Message: Reduce the Stigma, Seek Help, Refer a Flash

In 2023, Kent State launched a university‑wide Mental Health Campaign to expand access and normalize help‑seeking. The campaign’s core message—Reduce the Stigma. Seek Help. Refer a Flash—spotlights community advocates and hosts campus dialogues about anxiety, depression and coping strategies. The kickoff event featured licensed therapist Kier Gaines, who shared practical tools and reinforced the value of therapy as expert care for emotional health.

The campaign renewed in 2024 with expanded emphasis on employee wellness—underscoring that care is for everyone in the Kent State community. Resources for faculty and staff include AllOne Health (24/7 assistance for stress, anxiety, caregiving and more), Be Well Solutions, Wellness Ambassadors and flexible work arrangements that support well‑being. The university offers free, flexible counseling and pathways for long-term care, including guidance on how to manage seasonal depression. The university reinforces simple steps—daylight exposure, routine, movement—and offers telehealth options to fit student schedules.

Advocacy Through the Beloved Community

In 2025, the university included its mental health campaign with a Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration focused on mental health advocacy within Dr. King’s concept of the Beloved Community. Moderated by Angela Neal‑Barnett, Ph.D., professor of psychological sciences, the panel featured Janice Johnson, a CAPS therapist dedicated to community outreach, and Joshua Perkins, Ph.D., dean of students and former director of the CARES Center. The event underscored equity in access and culturally responsive care as pillars of campus well‑being.

Training, Gatekeeping and Peer Support

Kent State’s multi‑year More Aware initiative, funded through the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, strengthened suicide prevention training and awareness campaigns across the eight‑campus system. Although the grant concluded in 2024, the university continues to share manualized peer‑led programs and promote gatekeeper trainings such as QPR, Kognito and Mental Health First Aid. 

Support for Student‑Athletes

Kent State’s partnership with Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine enhances health and wellness for student‑athletes, including behavioral health services integrated with sports performance and medical care. The collaboration expands access to multidisciplinary support—another avenue where mental and physical health are aligned.

How to Get Help Right Now

• CAPS (Students): Call 330‑672‑2487 to request a consultation; after hours, select option 3 for an on‑call clinician via AllOne Health.
• Counseling Center (White Hall): Free sessions for students; low‑cost options for others; call 330‑672‑2208.
• Employee Assistance (AllOne Health) and Be Well Solutions: 24/7 access and wellness coaching for faculty and staff.
• Mental Health hub: A unified website for services, education and crisis lines across campuses.
• Psychological Center: Call 330-672-2372

To learn more about CAPS, go to /caps

To learn more about The Counseling Center, go to /ehhs/centers/chdc

To learn more about the Psychological Clinic, go to /psychology/clinic, or to access services, go to /psychology/accessing-services 

To learn more about AllOne Health, go to /people-and-culture/wellness/employee-assistance-program-allone-health 

For Mental Health Resources and Support, go to /mentalhealth