Higher Ed Advisor: TCU enhances student mental health support through its unique care model

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

It’s a top-of-mind priority across colleges and universities nationwide: student mental health. How can institutions meet students’ needs for such critical services? Texas Christian University’s (TCU) Director of Counseling and Mental Health, Eric Wood, Ph.D., LPC, joins us to explore how he pioneered and implemented TCU’s data-driven Comprehensive Collaborative Care Model (CCCM), which is transforming the narrative on the growing student mental health crisis.

In this timely conversation, Eric outlines how the CCCM helps enhance the effectiveness and level of care that institutions provide to students. He also shares valuable insights about:

• The importance of leveraging collaborative campus and community partnerships to better meet student needs
• How student-led peer support communities foster belonging and a safe, accessible space for social interactions
• Solutions to secure funding for triage or supplemental teams, alleviate staff burnout and assist students with treatment expenses
• The vital role data plays to help institutional leaders make informed decisions and expand the capacity of mental health support
• The benefits of sharing the CCCM with peer institutions to help students beyond TCU

Tune in as Eric provides his unique perspective about key trends and reveals strategies to navigate the future of student mental health in higher education.