OHIO to offer free mental health service, My SSP, to out-of-state, online and regional campus students
Ohio University recently announced that it has partnered with Morneau Shepell to provide students currently living outside the state of Ohio, enrolled at Ohio University's regional campuses, or enrolled through OHIO Online with free access to My Student Support Program, or My SSP.
Ohio University is dedicated to expanding mental health resources for all students, including students who are not eligible for services at Athens-based Counseling and Psychological Services. My SSP connects students to licensed Masters-level counselors to help them successfully address mental health, physical, or cultural challenges as they pursue higher education. Students receive the help they need in their own native language and cultural context, whether they’re at home, on campus, or abroad.
Students enrolled at the Athens campus that are currently living within the state of Ohio are eligible for services through Ohio University's Counseling and Psychological Services, which can be reached at 740-593-1616.
“We acknowledge the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on our students’ mental health, and also on their ability to receive mental health services. My SSP is not only available to a wider audience of students, but it is also available 24/7/365, for free,” said Stephanie Maccombs, a senior staff counselor at Counseling and Psychological Services assisting with making My SSP available.
My SSP offers a variety of services, including: 24/7 crisis phone support; clinical support and ongoing therapy via internet or telephone from licensed clinicians; and a mobile app with 24/7 real-time chat support, an on-demand library of various mental health resources, anonymous health assessments, a virtual fitness feature, and information about other relevant Ohio University resources. According to Morneau Shepell, My SSP supports counseling services in over 150 languages and includes a worldwide network of over 35,000 counselors, coaches, and specialized professionals.
“In addition to offering a mental health services to students who otherwise had limited access to mental health care, we also wanted to ensure that the service we offer is a safe space for students,” Maccombs said.
My SSP is a confidential and HIPAA-compliant service, meaning that identifying student information is not shared with friends, family, or professors. To access My SSP from anywhere at any time, students can download the free My SSP App via the Apple App Store or Google Play. Through the app, students can call or chat with a Student Support Counselor in real time, or they can schedule a telephone or video session. Students can also browse the digital library for helpful articles and videos and access the virtual fitness features.
To learn more about the My SSP App, students may watch this short My SSP App Tutorial Video. Students may also call direct at 866-743-7732. If calling from outside of North America, students can call 001-416-380-6578.
For more information about My SSP, please visit https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/counseling/my-ssp.