Loyola to offer free, confidential online mental health service, Togetherall, to students
As an extension to Loyola’s existing relationship with ProtoCall Services for afterhours campus counseling center coverage, the Counseling Center has announced it will provide its students free access to a 24/7 online peer-to-peer mental health community, Togetherall.
Togetherall is moderated by registered practitioners who keep members safe and facilitate the process of students helping students in an online environment. Students who use the platform will be directly transferred to ProtoCall when urgent risk is identified.
“Loyola prioritizes the need to provide students with additional remote-based mental health support while they navigate student life during a pandemic and in a year in which they have already faced so many disruptions,” said Jason Parcover, Ph.D., director of the Counseling Center. “The roll-out of this new service is timely with students returning to class remotely for now and in-person in the coming few months, and at a time when other on-campus supports have also had to adapt to new modalities for supporting students.”
Togetherall provides a clinically moderated, online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers individuals to anonymously seek and provide support 24/7. Founded in 2007 in the UK and operating in Canada, New Zealand, and the USA, Togetherall has grown into a global community. It provides service to more than 200 post-secondary institutions and a population of over 1.6 million students worldwide, with thousands of new members registering each month.
“Amidst this pandemic, students—now more than ever—need safe and accessible mental health supports,” said Matthew McEvoy, senior vice president and general manager of Togetherall in North America. “Togetherall is thrilled to be working with Loyola University Maryland to offer the opportunity to join a welcoming community where students can share and seek support.”
In a recent survey of Togetherall members, nearly 80% of students indicated that the main reason for joining was feelings of depression, while 70% cited feelings of anxiety. Nearly 50% of students surveyed do not have regular contact with a health care provider for the issues that led them to seek support.
To access the Togetherall service, Loyola students can visit the mobile-responsive website, www.togetherall.com, and enter a valid student email address to register.
While students are away from campus, the Counseling Center is committed to offering support to students and the Loyola community. Visit the Counseling Center’s COVID-19 resources page to learn about their remote counseling services.