Learning how to spot challenges that students may be facing in the post-pandemic era is the focus of a new initiative for Maryville faculty and staff.

Fifty individuals participated in a recent Mental Health First Aid training. Ashlyn Cunningham, OTD, OTR/L, associate professor of occupational therapy, is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid. She obtained a small grant from the Missouri Institute of Mental Health to offer the training. The goal was to equip faculty and staff to become better observers and responders to students in order to be able to spot problems before they become a serious mental health challenge.

To help spread the word and the training, Kate Kline, PhD, LPC, CRC, associate professor of rehabilitation counseling, is leading a group of volunteer faculty members in ongoing training in what is known as The Pedagogy of Compassion. There is a great deal of preliminary evidence demonstrating student mental health suffered during the pandemic. The group exists to acknowledge and accept this information and develop active ways to support students.

These new initiatives complement existing campus-wide mental health services offered through Maryville’s Counseling Center, including the 24/7 Support Line and digital resources like the Virtual Relaxation Room.