PHOTO | TROY HULL

A Wednesday summit will assess the mental health needs of students at North Carolina's 11 historically Black colleges and universities.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human services is partnering with historically black colleges and universities across the state for a Mental Health Summit Feb. 23 from 12-3 p.m.

The summit “Peeling Back the Layers of Minority Behavioral Health” will assess the mental health needs of minority students and the effects of the impacts from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“We know that there are big disparities in mental health care access, and we want to make sure that we're addressing those disparities,” said Deepa Avula, director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health. “One of the other things that we are really aiming to do is hear directly from students about what some of the challenges they’re experiencing, and how the state can be helpful in addressing those challenges.”

The panel discussion will feature students and representatives from NC’s 11 HBCUs.

Prior to the pandemic, about one third of college students had already been diagnosed with having at least one mental health symptom, with nearly 28% dealing with anxiety and nearly 23% of students dealing with depression.

The pandemic has caused an increase in anxiety and depression among all young people, including Black young adults, according to Avula.

During the health crisis, college students have battled with not being able to gather with friends in their dorm room, and unable to make lasting memories with peers because of COVID restrictions on their campuses. Last year, a study by Innovative Higher Education found that “about 88% of undergraduate students experienced moderate to severe stress, with 44% of students showing moderate to severe anxiety and 36% of students having moderate to severe depression.”

On top of the pandemic, young scholars still battle the pressures of “adulting” while away from home. For instance, new levels of independence, working a part-time job to pay for school, creating new peer groups, and rigorous coursework add to their stress levels.

With very few studies focused on the well-being of collegiate students during the pandemic, that has prompted more researchers to focus on the emotional health of students at higher learning institutions during the pandemic.

At the start of the pandemic, 91% of college students said they had experienced negative impacts from the pandemic in a survey conducted by the Journal of Medical Research in 2020.

Out of 195 students that participated in the poll, 71% of students said that their stress had increased from the COVID-19 pandemic, with 39% saying their stress had remained the same, with 9% of students that said their stress had decreased.

On the student survey, some stressors students have experienced are:

• Increased social isolation

• Fear/worry of their health and their families

• Difficulty concentrating

• Disruptions in sleep

• Concerns over academic performance

With mental health disorders disproportionately affecting the Black community, NCDHHS is working with HBCUs to address health disparities among minority students.
“There is such a stigma around mental health and mental health and mental illness that people avoid talking about it,” said Dr. Keri Norris, vice president of health equity, diversity, and inclusion of the National Hemophilia Foundation. “Historically, we as people of color have not dealt with it at the forefront.”

The Mental Health Summit will consist of three panels. The first will feature state officials to discuss how mental health and equity is being addressed on the state level. The second will discuss mental health issues that HBCU administrators have noticed on campus during the pandemic and how they are working resolve those challenges. In the third panel, students will share their experiences of anxiety and depression during a pandemic and suggest ideas the state can address these health disparities.

“It really is an opportunity for the state to hear directly from individuals who are having the college experience whether it's from an administrative perspective or as a student,” Avula said.

College students are encouraged to take advantage of the counseling center on their campuses if they are experiencing anxiety, depression or other stressors that negatively affect mental health.

Aaliyah Bowden, who covers health for The Post, is a Report For America corps member.

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