Standard and Digital Mental Health Services on Campus: Perspectives from Students, Clinicians, and Campus Leaders at 27 U.S. Colleges

Objective: This study explored the perspectives of key campus stakeholders on the status of college mental health services and digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) as a strategy to address mental health disorders among college students. Methods: A nationwide online survey (N = 615) was conducted, including clinicians (n = 87) and campus leadership representatives (n = 49) from 27 U.S. colleges and universities during 3 periods of the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 to December 2021). Responses from students from a parallel, related sub-study (n = 479) were collated to allow for potential comparisons. The survey assessed the uptake and perspectives of on-campus mental health services and 13 DMHIs. Chi-squared tests and one-way ANOVAs, along with Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc pairwise comparisons, were run to tease apart group differences. Linear regression controlling for institutional location was run to examine changes over time on 1) usage of DMHIs, (2) perceptions of implementation interest for DMHIs, and (3) perceptions of delivery feasibility of on-campus mental health services. Results: Leadership representatives, to a higher degree, expressed being ‘Uncertain’ about the presence of training/guidelines than clinicians (75.6% versus 35.5%). Clinicians reported the highest relative degree of use for all DMHIs (M = 6.32, SD = 2.30). Telehealth therapy was viewed among the highest priorities to make available on campus by students (66.0%), clinicians (83.1%), and leadership representatives (82.9%). Students endorsed the lowest perceived delivery feasibility of on-campus mental health services. No significant interactions were found within early to mid to late pandemic periods. Conclusions: Overall stakeholders endorsed marked heterogeneity in uptake and perspectives and were observed not to change over time during the COVID-19 pandemic.