The United Way campaign ends on Friday.

As the United Way Campaign winds down, please remember to fill out your pledge forms and help us reach our goals this year.

The United Way of the Ozarks has reworked its investment strategy so that our undesignated funds go to the health, education and financial stability needs of our community.

My interview with Greg Burris outlines these changes and why it’s important for us to take part.

 

COVID updates

November brought two important updates for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility.

First, the FDA authorized and the CDC now recommends booster shots for all adults ages 18 years and older who received a Pfizer or Modern vaccine at least six months after their second dose.

Second, the FDA authorized and the CDC now recommends COVID-19 vaccination for children ages 5 and older.

Magers Health and Wellness Center is administering COVID-19 booster shots and COVID-19 vaccinations for children and adults who meet CDC guidelines.

Schedule your appointment today

Supporting mental health

We are nearing the end of the fall semester. For many of our students, faculty and staff, the end of the fall semester ushers in anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.

Support for the emotional well-being of our students, faculty and staff is a campus-wide responsibility. While our campus health and counseling centers have important roles to play, we must all work to promote and protect the mental health of our campus community.

Did You Know?

• Students with mental health problems, such as depression, are two times more likely than their peers to leave their institution.
• 57.9% of students at Missouri State University are experiencing symptoms of at least one significant mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-injury or eating disorders.
• Among these students, an estimated 45% have not received mental health services within the past year.

How can you help?

You can help support the emotional and mental health of our campus community by reducing the stigma around mental health concerns and increasing awareness of available resources for members of the campus community.

• The university’s Counseling Center offers counseling to currently enrolled MSU students at no charge. Students can contact the Counseling Center to make an appointment at 417-836-5116 or CounselingCenter@missouristate.edu.
• Students experiencing a mental health emergency after business hours may call the Counseling Center and follow the prompts to speak with a crisis counselor.
• You can also contact the Counseling Center to refer a student that you believe could benefit from their services.
• The university provides an Employee Assistance Program for full-time and part-time faculty and staff. This is a free, confidential service designed to help you and your family with a wide range of problems. It can assist you with crisis management, wellness coaching, mental and emotional challenges, among many other issues.
• Appointments with mental health professionals are also available through Magers Health and Wellness Center. Call 417-836-4000 to schedule an appointment.
• Faculty and staff can also contact the Counseling Center at 417-836-5116 or CounselingCenter@missouristate.edu for a referral to area therapy services or other community resources. Employees may visit the Mercy Provider Listing to locate preferred providers for the university’ health insurance.
• Other community mental health resources can be found on the Magers Health and Wellness Center’s mental health webpage.

Refer a student

Introducing the JED Campus Initiative

As part of our work to continue to enhance the emotional and mental health of our campus community, MSU is participating in the JED Campus Initiative.

This initiative is a four-year, strategic process created by the JED Foundation that helps guide the improvement and enhancement of existing mental health programming and climate on campus.

The four-year JED Campus Initiative process involves data collection, student focus groups, strategic planning, and regular JED Campus team and sub-committee meetings.

We have a series of tools from the JED Foundation to assist us in our work to enhance campus mental health, including a campus dashboard, guidelines and access to JED Foundation partners.

We are excited about our partnership with the JED Foundation as we work to promote mental and emotional health for our campus community.

Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!