Ready for school?

Heading back to school can be a bittersweet time. Anxiety about classes, friends, and recent events in the news can leave many students hesitant to return.

That’s why we have developed programs you can rely on to make this transition easier for you and your families!

A study by the Steve Fund and the JED Foundation, conducted by Harris Poll, indicates that 33% of students of color identify maintaining their mental health on campus as very or extremely stressful. The Steve Fund has responded with a suite of workshops and programs to help colleges, universities, families, and students navigate this time, feel confident, and be prepared to tackle the new school year.

Support for Students

  • Self-Care Workshop: To ease the transition between home and college, this session will provide students of color with practical tools for managing stress and maintaining success in a new environment. Topics discussed will include micro-aggressions, imposter syndrome, non-belonging and isolation, and perceived discrimination. Guidance on the value of peer networks, support systems, and how to seek help will be emphasized.
  • Series for LGBTQ Students: Led by Steve Fund experts, these workshops will focus on the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ students of color. The session will offer empowerment strategies to this population on how to cope with their daily stresses.
  • STEVE Crisis Text Messaging Service: The Steve Fund has partnered with Crisis Text Line to offer a free, on-demand crisis counseling service via text messaging. If you know students of color who are feeling stressed, depressed, or anxious, please let them know they can text STEVE to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor 24/7.

Support for Parents and Families:

  • Support for Parents and Families: This webinar series focuses on challenges faced by students of color during college/early adulthood and ways in which parents can support their children and help them to thrive both in college and life beyond it. Our services include the coordination of discussions with parents – both online and on campus.

For more information on these programs and services, please contact programs@stevefund.org or visit www.stevefund.org/services.

Learn about the Equity in Mental Health Framework

  • The new Equity in Mental Health Framework (EMHF) is a tool designed to identify and implement best practices that address the mental health needs of racially diverse students. In a 2017 survey, commissioned by the Steve Fund and JED Foundation and conducted by Harris Poll, data indicates that nearly one in five students of color (18%) feel that programs and events are actions that schools can take to help them feel more comfortable, supported, and cared for on campus. In keeping with this theme, the EMHF includes ten key recommendations and how to implement them. We will be releasing the EMHF this fall; in the interim, sign up for updates at www.equityinmentalhealth.org.

Connect with our Youth Advisory Board:

  • The Steve Fund Youth Advisory Board (YAB): Gather with peers to promote the importance of mental health and emotional well-being on your campus. You will provide a critical voice on all Steve Fund efforts; maximize the Fund’s impact among young people of color; create innovative strategy; and connect peers to mental health resources. Contact Shila Burney (shilaburney@gmail.com) to join our YAB.