TAMIU Launches New TELUS Health Student Support App
As part of its enduring commitment to health, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) is providing enrolled students a way to prioritize their mental health...in the palm of their hand.
On Monday, February 5, TAMIU students joined the more than 153,000 students in Texas A&M University System campuses who have access to TELUS Health Student Support, a free, confidential mental health care app.
TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said the TELUS Health Student Support app is part of a commitment by The Texas A&M University System to provide students access to individual counseling, workshops, and a broad range of local and national crisis resources.
“Like all campuses, we know that mental health is student health...and we want to provide easy access to help our students. We’re proud to be part of our System’s commitment to campus mental health through our launch of the TELUS Health Student Support app, a downloadable, in-your-pocket tool that affirms our commitment to and support of our campus community. While we have extensive on-campus services available, we believe the addition of TELUS provides accessibility crucial to student needs,” Dr. Arenaz said.
Dr. James Hallmark, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs for the 11 universities in the A&M System shared the importance of the System’s initiative.
“Studies show that about 75 percent of students who are struggling with depression or anxiety are reluctant to get help,” Dr. Hallmark said, “We hope this app makes it easier for students to take the first step. Mental health is key to student success.”
“College can be stressful -- it’s a transformative experience, after all, but students today are more willing than ever to seek the help they need and we are very glad to be able to be offering it to them. We thank Chancellor John Sharp and the A&M System Regents for investing in the new mental health care benefits,” he added.
Rosabel Ramos, director of TAMIU’s Counseling and Disability Services, said providing this individualized access is also crucial in helping reduce the stigma often associated with mental self-help resources.
“Having TELUS available helps to reduce the unfortunate stigma of mental health and affirms and provides resources to encourage the importance of self-care. It also increases access to these resources for all registered students, regardless of their location or schedule. Student well-being, and that of those they go to class with, and live with, is first and foremost in how we approach the shared well-being of our University community,” Ramos explained.
TELUS augments TAMIU’s student counseling services with 24/7 access to immediate support or to schedule professional short-term counseling in the modality of their choice such as phone or chat. Service is available in multiple languages, including English, Cantonese, French, Spanish, and Mandarin, among others.
“For students who are more comfortable in conversing in a language other than English, this can help to provide an additional measure of accessibility and engagement,” said Ramos.
She noted the App includes dedicated hubs providing information on anxiety, depression, and more. It also provides access to articles, podcasts, infographics, and videos on a wide number of well-being topics. Feedback and chat options are available throughout the App as are unlimited A.I.-powered virtual fitness journeys, and ways to connect with a student support community of thousands of other students with shared experiences.
“It’s a fantastic tool, available in Android or iOS, that can help... right from students’ smartphones. We think our students will find it can be a real asset for their health and well-being here and beyond,” Ramos explained.
She encourages students to download the TELUS Health Student Support App to their preferred smartphone, tablet, or desktop to begin or continue their health journey. A special on-campus launch event for enrolled students is planned for Monday, Feb. 12.
For additional information on TELUS at TAMIU, visit the dedicated website at go.tamiu.edu/telus, email counseling@tamiu.edu, call 956.326.2230, or visit TAMIU’s Counseling and Disability Services offices located in the Student Center 128.
More on the University’s story is shared at tamiu.edu and on TAMIU’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter-X, and YouTube.
