COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M University is encouraging students and staff to take advantage of the My Student Support Program, which is in its second year in Aggieland.
"This has been a really big initiative because this increases the accessibility of mental health support to every single Aggie student," TAMU Counseling & Psychological Services Assistant Director Kristie De La Garza said. "If they download this free app because A&M already paid for it, they can have access to free confidential mental health counseling."
My SSP makes mental health resources available for all students and staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It's free, confidential, and offers emotional health and well-being support through the mobile app or the My SSP website.
"Anxiety is always the top-rated concern, depression, and relationship issues," De La Garza said. "We've noticed a trend since kind of post-COVID is social anxiety has increased."
According to De La Garza, Texas A&M Counseling & Psychological Services see between 10,000 to 11,000 students a year, yet just over 3,000 students downloaded the My SPP app and registered in its first year.
"Every single staff member cares about the whole student, the student that might be struggling, the student that might need some resources, whatever it might be," De La Garza said. "Our staff is waiting to just figure out what kind of support that student needs."
Thanks to the app's chat feature and phone services students can request support at any time or any place in the world. That means that Aggies studying abroad also have access to help, should they need it.