A guide to post-election mental health resources on campus

A report this year by the American Psychological Association showed that the presidential election was a significant source of stress for 69% of adults. “The future of our nation” served as a significant source of stress for 77% of adults.

Below are various resources the University of New Mexico provides that may help students or employees struggling with their mental health following the presidential election. A complete list of mental health resources can be found at mentalhealth.unm.edu.

Agora Crisis Center

The Agora Crisis Center connects callers with trained crisis hotline specialists. Its phone number is 505-277-3013, and its hours are 6 a.m. to midnight every day, depending on the availability of volunteers.

A person does not have to be in crisis to call, according to Director Dasie Kent, and there is no cost associated with calling.

“After a stressful time such as election season, finding ways to take care of one’s mental health is so important,” Kent wrote to the Daily Lobo.

Student Health and Counseling

Student Health and Counseling provides counseling services to all enrolled students, according to its website. These services — and psychiatry services — begin with students completing an initial “One At A Time” appointment, which can be scheduled by calling 505-277-3136 during SHAC’s business hours.

SHAC is open from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The initial OAAT appointments can be scheduled for Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

All students are welcome to be seen at SHAC regardless of insurance, according to SHAC’s website.

TimelyCare

Through a partnership with UNM, TimelyCare provides students with free, 24/7 access to virtual health and well-being services, according to its website. The platform is designed for college students.

One feature of TimelyCare is “TalkNow,” which offers “emotional support to talk about anything, including anxiety, relationships, depression and school-related stressors” at any time, according to its website. TimelyCare also offers 12 free scheduled counseling sessions at students’ convenience per year.

The “explore” page of TimelyCare features guided self-care content, like yoga, meditation and group conversations with providers, according to its website.

Students can access TimelyCare at its website or by downloading the app. After registering with their name and UNM email, students can use TimelyCare from anywhere in the United States on any web-enabled device, according to its website.

Counseling, Assistance and Referral Services

Counseling, Assistance and Referral Services provides free, confidential services to assist faculty and staff members — and their significant others — and retirees, according to its website.

CARS offers counseling on “a wide range of issues,” according to its website, including anxiety, stress, depression and managing change.

To schedule an initial appointment, employees can call 505-272-6868 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Manzanita Counseling Center

Manzanita Counseling Center is a free counseling clinic provided by the UNM Counselor Education Program. Advanced graduate students supervised by UNM faculty members, who are licensed professional counselors, provide the services, according to the center’s brochure.

To schedule an appointment, students can call 505-277-7311. Students will first complete a brief screening over the phone to determine whether Manzanita Counseling Center provides the right level of care, according to the center’s brochure. Scheduled sessions are 50 minutes.

Resource centers

UNM’s 12 student resource centers provide students with support and “a home on campus,” according to UNM’s website. Each resource center has an Instagram account that informs students about activities and events taking place throughout the year.

Lily Alexander is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @llilyalexander

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