End of Federal Relief Puts Pressure on Campus Mental-Health Systems

When federal emergency dollars poured into Ohio campuses during the pandemic, universities used the sudden influx to rebuild mental-health systems students had long been waiting for. But as state support stalls and federal relief expires, those gains are becoming harder to sustain.                      

“Some institutions added more counselors, expanded teletherapy, or strengthened basic-needs services — and some of those expansions probably won’t go away overnight,” said Jessica Zavala, director of the Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health (OPCSMH).

Zavala, who coordinates mental-health strategy across Ohio’s higher-education system, said colleges are now weighing which programs they can realistically maintain without federal support. She said campuses are reassessing services, forming new partnerships with community providers and trying to preserve access even as budgets tighten. But how campuses adapt varies widely.

“There’s really not a one-size approach that is going to work for all campuses,” Zavala said. “Campuses are unique… and even the student populations are unique.”

Even as universities adjust, the mental-health challenges facing students remain broad and persistent. National survey data underscores that trend.

The 2023 Healthy Minds Study found that 38% of students screened positi

ve for depression, 34% for an anxiety disorder and 13% seriously considered suicide in the past year. 

The Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors reports that the average wait time for a therapy appointment is now 9.2 days, and many campuses operate with counselor-to-student ratios around 1:1,600.

“There’s a lot still that’s unknown about COVID’s impact,” Zavala said. “But we know it had a significant impact on Ohio’s colleges and universities, and we still continue to see the fallout.”

Financial stress, a longstanding predictor of student mental health, has intensified, she said, and access barriers remain common.

Despite the challenges, Zavala said collaboration between campuses and community organizations has strengthened.

“There are a lot of partnerships and ways that campuses and community organizations right now are partnering and working together to meet the needs of students,” she said.

OPCSMH has played a major role in supporting that work.

“Since 2010, we’ve provided over $600,000 to support more than 100 campus and community organizations throughout Ohio,” Zavala said. “Our goal is to provide resources and expertise that promote suicide prevention, mental health awareness and stigma reduction.”

OPCSMH relies on national evidence-based models, including the JED Foundation and Suicide Prevention Resource Center frameworks, to guide campus programming.

“We really believe in combining our comprehensive approach to suicide prevention and mental-health promotion… and keeping ourselves apprised of what’s going on in student trends,” Zavala said.

At Kent State University, leaders say the challenge is not only sustaining clinical care but also preserving an ecosystem of well-being that students have come to rely on.

Meghan Factor-Page, associate director for Kent State of Well-Being, said the university has intentionally built a “strong network of mental health and well-being resources designed to meet students wherever they are, whether they need immediate support, ongoing care, or simple skill-building tools.”

A key entry point is the university’s Mental Health Resources page, which connects students to counseling, crisis support, workshops, peer groups and 24/7 emergency contacts.

Factor-Page said demand has shifted toward accessible, low-barrier tools — short sessions, drop-ins, online resources and skills-based events that help students manage stress before it escalates.

These offerings follow the university’s Eight Dimensions of Well-Being framework, which integrates emotional, physical, social and environmental health.

“Our collaborations with campus partners ensure students experience coordinated, consistent support,” she said. “At every level, the goal is for students to feel supported, connected and empowered.”

These programs complement clinical care through CAPS, CARES, the Counseling Center and the Psychology Clinic. As statewide pressures rise, Factor-Page said maintaining accessibility and continuity will be critical for long-term student well-being.

Nationally, JED Foundation experts say that sustainability requires a shift in how campuses think about mental health altogether.

Rachel Czerny, MPH, a JED Campus Advisor, said progress depends on moving away from a clinical-only mindset. “There is no single, magic intervention or solution,” she said via e-mail.

“To maintain sustainable mental health systems on campus, the focus should shift from a clinical-only model to a comprehensive, campus-wide approach that spans the full spectrum of prevention.”

Czerny said campuses must be prepared to meet students across the mental-health continuum, from thriving to distressed, and build systems designed to catch problems early.

“It is critical that proactive identification strategies are in place,” she said, pointing to staff training, regular screening and wrap-around support for students who are struggling.

Strong crisis protocols, she added, remain essential.

“Means safety and crisis management protocols must be in place to ensure that students who are most at-risk are met with an immediate, trauma-informed response and care.”

With staffing shortages and high demand, partnerships have become an increasingly important tool. Czerny said campuses nationwide are turning to stepped-care models, telehealth services, mobile crisis teams and formal agreements with community providers.

“When implemented with care, partnerships can extend the level of support provided, reduce wait times for appointments and match students with the appropriate level of care,” she said.

Understanding a campus’s strengths and gaps is a crucial starting point.

“In JED Campus, understanding where your campus’ existing strengths and gaps are is the first step in building a strong support system and channeling campus resources to the places they will have the greatest impact,” Czerny said.

And despite financial uncertainty, she noted, the data offers hope. A decade-long JED analysis found that participating campuses saw measurable improvements: students were 10% less likely to experience suicidal ideation, 13% less likely to make a suicide plan and 25% less likely to attempt suicide.

As universities brace for another year of tight budgets, Czerny said the work must remain collaborative and comprehensive.

“There should be no wrong door on a college campus for a student seeking support,” she said.