Interuniversity partnership to increase mental health services for students

Varsha Vasudevan, Staff Writer 

VCU, Virginia Tech and James Madison University students now have access to additional mental health services because of a partnership formed in January with TimelyMD, according to VCU Associate Director of Clinical Services Caroline Coffill. 

Coffill said the universities’ partnership with the virtual medical care company, TimelyMD, is a “necessary addition” to university counseling services, because it provides “greater flexibility” in accessing services for students. 

The universities’ combined efforts aspire to identify similar mental health concerns and patterns among students across campuses, according to Coffill.

Coffill said the pandemic worsened stress among individuals regarding mental health. A 2020 study found that a statistically significant number of college students experienced increased stress and anxiety due to the pandemic. 

Students do not have to go through or get referrals from University Counseling Services in order to access TimelyCare and can do so independently, Coffill said.

Senior VCU communication arts major Audrey Hale said prior to the partnership there were a lot of “hoops to jump through” in terms of the number of emails and forms they had to send to be able to receive mental health service on campus. 

“It took almost a month, eight emails and a phone call and some forms before I actually got to see any counselors,” Hale said. “It was fine. I got through it all. But I feel like if  you’re in a bad place, that’s so much to get through, if you even get to talk to somebody.” 

Hale said the partnership between VCU, VT and JMU with TimelyMD sounds promising because it may focus more on individual needs. 

A primary benefit to TimelyCare is that it offers immediate care and attention to students at no cost to students even when counseling centers on campuses may be closed, according to Director of Mental Health Operations at TimelyMD Seli Fakorzi.

“We’ve also gotten our system to the space where students are only waiting less than five minutes to connect with a provider on TalkNow,” Fakorzi said. 

Fakorzi said TimelyMD’s “diverse provider network” of therapists allow students to have more choices when selecting a therapist to work with.

“60% of all of our providers identify as BIPOC [Black, Indeginous and people of color] providers and LGBTQ+ informed, faith-based, varying languages,” Fakorzi said. “Students can talk to a provider from various different backgrounds that may help them match better with a provider.”

TimelyMD senior success manager Abby Waldron said TimelyCare offers resources such as TalkNow, an on-demand service where students may speak with a licensed therapist, as part of the partnership.

Other offered services are health literacy, scheduled counseling, personal health coaching and MedicalNow, an unlimited service for mental health services that don’t qualify as emergencies. They are available to all enrolled students, even those studying abroad or in a different state, according to Waldron

Waldron said TimelyCare services are currently available to students through either the TimelyCare mobile app or website. 

“A partnership with TimelyMD is really an investment in healthier students,” Waldron said. “We’re really ready to serve students, VCU included, and go ahead and encourage them to sign up.” 

Chris Wise, assistant vice president for health and wellness at VT, stated the partnership is an effort to provide an “exceptional educational experience.” 

“Our partnership provides a tool for students to access mental and emotional health services when it works best for their needs, improving their ability to succeed, and thrive in their students and in their lives inside and outside of school,” Wise stated. 

Wise stated students would benefit more from a partnership between universities than a university increasing mental health services independently. 

“By partnering with multiple institutions, we keep institutional costs affordable and can provide more counselor options for students,” Wise stated. 

Access TimelyCare services here.