Ohio University to offer free, anonymous online mental health service, Togetherall, to students
Ohio University recently announced that it will provide its students free access to Togetherall, a 24/7, online, peer-to-peer mental health community.
Togetherall is moderated by registered practitioners who keep members safe and facilitate the process of students helping students in an online environment. The new offering will also help as an extension of Counseling and Psychological Services’ (CPS) after-hours coverage. Users of the platform are transferred to CPS’ after-hour services (ProtoCall Services) if urgent risk is identified.
Ohio University is dedicated to expanding mental health resources for students, including remote-based offerings. Within the online Togetherall platform, users are anonymous to each other and can share and seek support. The roll-out of this new service is a timely addition to other on-campus support services for students, whether they’re attending classes in person, online or a hybrid of the two.
“We appreciate the work that was done by both undergraduate and graduate student senates during 2019-20 academic year who provided us with valuable feedback on our existing online mental health resources. We listened to their feedback, especially the lack of online peer-to-peer community support for students who struggle with mental health issues,” CPS Director Dr. Paul Castelino said.
After careful considerations of various mental health tools that are out in the market by a group of CPS clinicians, Togetherall was chosen as it nicely complements the existing services and resources provided by CPS, including WellTrack.
“We are excited about the two-fold functions of the Togetherall platform, to help provide peer-to-peer mental health support and to identify and provide valuable resources to those who are struggling,” Castelino said.
“Now more than ever, it’s important to cultivate a sense of community immune to social distancing,” Matthew McEvoy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Togetherall in North America, said. “Togetherall is thrilled to work with Ohio University to foster a safe and accessible place for students to connect, explore and seek support.”
Togetherall provides a clinically moderated, online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. Founded in 2007 in the U.K., and operating in Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S., Togetherall has grown into a global community. It provides service to over 200 post-secondary institutions and a population of over 1.6 million students worldwide, with thousands of new members registering each month.
In a recent survey of Togetherall members, nearly 80% of students indicated that the main reason for joining was feelings of depression and 70 cited feelings of anxiety. Nearly 50% of students surveyed do not have regular contact with a healthcare provider for the issues that led them to seek support.
To access the service, students can go to the mobile-responsive webpage www.togetherall.com and register with their Ohio University student email address.