New Webinar Series on Student-Of-Color Mental Health
Part 2: What to do? Parental Support for College Students in Distress.
The Steve Fund will host a three-installment webinar series for parents and families addressing the mental health of college students of color.
The webinar series will focus on aspects of mental health and well-being for the student, discussing topics ranging from the unique pressures and challenges faced by students of color, to potential strategies for positive change. The presenter is Dr. Meeta Kumar, Director of Outreach and Prevention Services at the Counseling and Psychological Services as well as adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. She will discuss challenges faced by students of color during college and emerging adulthood and ways in which parents and family members can help their child thrive within this environment. We hope that this conversation will prompt dialogue and build knowledge around this issue among families, college leaders and service providers, and promote innovative solutions for this population.
The webinars will be of interest to parents and family members, college and university leaders, faculty, researchers, student services staff, college counseling professionals, and students and peers. They are ideal for families who seek to support the success and emotional well-being of students of color. They are also valuable to all mental health and student services professionals who would like to learn more on the subject from outstanding thought leaders in this area. Please join us as we discuss challenges faced by this group of students, opportunities for families to serve as impactful advocates and supporters of their students’ mental health, and institutional approaches for supporting program improvement.
Following the live webinars, access to view the recorded content will be available at the Steve Fund’s Knowledge Center on www.stevefund.org.
2nd Webinar: Thursday, October 27, 2016 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM EDT
What to do? Parental Support for College Students in Distress.
College is a developmental time with new opportunities but also challenges and stress. Shifts involve greater autonomy, freedom, identity, making career choices, making new friends. College places emotional demands and require skills that may take time to develop. Research has shown that for young people of color, they may enter the college or university setting underprepared to tackle the emotional endeavors of this new environment.
The good news is that parents and families play an important role! Research tells us students think of their parents/families as an important source of support and are communicating with them more than ever.
What you will learn in this webinar as a parent/family member in supporting your child’s transition to college or the university:
1. What is mental health
2. Why we should be concerned
3. How to detect distress in your child
4. What to do
5. What is a mental health crisis
6. Red flags
7. What to do in the case of a crisis
8. Understanding confidentiality
9. Accommodations
10. Insurance benefits for mental health care
Presenter: Dr. Meeta Kumar, Director of Outreach and Prevention Services at the Counseling and Psychological Services as well as adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Meeta Kumar
Dr. Meeta Kumar is a psychologist and an experienced professional in the field of college mental health. She currently serves as the Director of Outreach and Prevention Services at the Counseling and Psychological Services as well as adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. She is responsible for coordination, development and delivery of university wide programs that support mental health and wellness of students. She works closely with all campus constituencies including faculty/staff, student groups and parents/families. She is a national presenter on an array of college mental health topics. She is adjunct faculty in the Asian American Studies department. She received her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
Please stay tuned for the announcement of Parts 3 of this series (tentatively scheduled for December)
