Supporting Minds, Supporting Learners - Addressing Student Mental Health to Advance Academic Success

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by James

A 2024 national report examines how student mental health and well-being affect academic success, especially within community colleges. It contextualizes rising depression and anxiety among college students and highlights institutional responsibilities to understand student experiences and preferences for support. The report is informed by funding, additional surveys, and interviews across three colleges, guided by an expert advisory panel, and offers a framework of five key questions to help colleges respond effectively.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time1 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Foreword

Mental Health Challenges: On the Rise and Threatening Academic Success

Depression Among Community College Students

Anxiety Among Community College Students

The Impact of Mental Health Issues on Academics

Five Questions Colleges Should Ask About Their Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being

How Colleges Are Helping Students in Need of Mental Health Support

Next Steps

Appendix A: Questions Used in the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2)

Appendix B: Questions Used in the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2)

CCCSE National Advisory Board

Endnotes

2024 NATIONAL REPORT SUPPORTING Minds, SUPPORTING Learners Addressing Student Mental Health to Advance Academic Success Acknowledgments In 2023, the White House released a report recognizing that “the United States is in the midst of an unprecedented mental health crisis among people of all ages.”1 College students are not immune to this crisis; in fact, recent studies show that depression and anxiety are on the rise among this population.2 Colleges are well positioned to help their students, but to do so effectively, they must understand what their students are experiencing—and how students want tobe helped. CCCSE gratefully acknowledges The Kresge Foundation for funding the Mental Well-Being and Academic Success project, which allowed us to investigate community college students’ mental health and well-being so that institutions have a better understanding of the needs of their students. The foundation provided support for the selection of additional survey items focused on student mental health and well-being, interviews with students at three community colleges, and the development of this national report. The following advisory panel of experts provided guidance on the selection of the additional survey items: ⚙ Dr. Sara Abelson, Assistant Professor, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and Senior Director of Training and Education, The Hope Center, Temple University ⚙ Dr. Alison Brown, Coordinator, Center for Wellness & Wellbeing, Santa Monica College (CA) ⚙ Dr. Tia Dole, Chief 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Officer, Vibrant Emotional Health ⚙ Tiffany Gusbeth, Vice President, Student Success Services, American Indian College Fund ⚙ Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang, Senior Director, Transformation Support, UNCF ⚙ Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, Chancellor, Austin Community College District (TX) ⚙ Markie Pasternak, Senior Manager, Higher Education, Active Minds ⚙ Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, President and CEO, Phi Theta Kappa We owe a debt of gratitude to The Healthy Minds Network for the use and adaptation of several of its survey items. We would also like to thank the participating colleges and their students for sharing their perspectives through the survey administrations and interviews. Without these student voices, we would not be able to demonstrate how students are experiencing mental health and well-being issues at a national level. This report is dedicated to community colleges across the country working to help their students overcome all challenges in their way and find success in higher education. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of CCCSE and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of The Kresge Foundation. © 2024. Permission granted for unlimited use with appropriate citation. Please cite this report as follows: CCCSE. (2024) . Supporting Minds, Supporting Learners: Addressing Student Mental Health to Advance Academic Success. [https://www.cccse.org/reports/Supporting-Minds](https://www.cccse.org/reports/Supporting-Minds) Supporting Minds, Supporting Learners: Addressing Student Mental Health to Advance Academic Success | CCCSE 2 Contents Foreword 4 Mental Health Challenges: On the Rise and Threatening Academic Success 5 Depression Among Community College Students 7 Anxiety Among Community College Students 9 The Impact of Mental Health Issues on Academics 11 Five Questions Colleges Should Ask About Their Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being 16 1. Do Our Students Believe Their Mental Health and Well-Being Is a Priority at Our College? 17 2. Do Our Students Know Where They Can Seek Help on Our Campus? 19 3. If Our Students Need Help, How Often Do They Seek It? 21 4. What Barriers Prevent Our Students From Seeking Help? 23 5. How Do Our Students Want to Receive Help? 25 How Colleges Are Helping Students in Need of Mental Health Support 30 Next Steps 32 Appendix A: Questions Used in the Patient Health Questionnaire

FAQs

What mental health crisis does the report reference for students?

It points to an unprecedented mental health crisis affecting people of all ages, with evidence that depression and anxiety are rising among college students.

How was the report developed?

It used funding to add survey items focused on mental well-being, conduct interviews with students at three community colleges, and develop the national report.

What guidance does the report give colleges on supporting student mental health?

It outlines five questions colleges should ask about students’ mental health and well-being, covering priorities, awareness of help resources, help-seeking frequency, barriers to seeking care, and preferred ways to receive help.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by James