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Tennessee Tech expands crisis coverage as counseling sessions rise; app and telehealth tools launched
Summary
The university's counseling center reported increased sessions and new programs including a wellness app (162 users, 1,096 sessions), a mental‑health fair that drew 300 students, a 24/7 crisis hotline expansion and a telehealth partnership; administrators said the increase reflects persistent demand and that staffing and telehealth help meet capacity constraints.
The Center for Counseling and Mental Health Wellness reported to trustees that the university has expanded services and seen an uptick in counseling activity.
Director Dr. Christine Mick said the Smoody wellness app, launched in September, has 162 users and 1,096 app sessions; an "I'm Alive" mental‑health fair drew more than 300 students. She said the student demographic most likely to use services is 18–24 and that seniors use counseling services at higher rates, often tied to academic pressure and life transitions. While unique student counts rose sharply in the COVID years (2021–2023), the number of distinct students using services in 2023–24 and 2024–25 has returned closer to pre‑COVID levels; session counts rose, in part, because some students return for follow‑up appointments and the center now counts walk‑ins as sessions.
To handle demand the center expanded its crisis hotline to 24/7 coverage, hired a crisis‑intervention intern, uses urgent‑care assessments for immediate needs, and partners with Hope Nation Campus telehealth and Magnolia Health and Wellness for brief psychiatric medication management (28 students receiving medication management in the current period). Dr. Mick said top presenting reasons are anxiety, depression and loneliness and noted increased immediate crisis requests this term.
Trustees asked whether lower national averages for counseling center usage reflect staffing or other factors; administrators said staffing limits do affect capacity and that the university is watching utilization and adjusting services accordingly. The presentation concluded with an outline of prevention work (groups, workshops and outreach) to address underlying causes of loneliness and to improve access.
The update will inform ongoing student‑support planning and budget decisions.
