Santiago Canyon College has taken a significant step in supporting student well-being as the campus prepares to launch a new telehealth platform that will offer students free 24/7 access to mental health services. This initiative aims to address the growing demand for accessible and timely mental health care and will ensure that students have the resources they need to thrive both academically and personally.
Beginning Jan. 1, SCC students can log into TimelyCare, a virtual health and wellness platform designed specifically for college students that provides on-demand access to mental health and general health consultations. Used by more than 350 colleges and universities across the U.S., TimelyCare allows students to connect with licensed professionals for counseling sessions, emotional support and self-care resources.
SCC’s decision to offer this service comes at a critical time, as a surge in mental health challenges among students pursuing higher education has been well-documented coming out of the pandemic. The presence of disruptions such as social isolation, academic uncertainties and financial hardships highlight the need for mental health support systems.
A key aspect of this program is that TimelyCare will be available to all SCC students, whether they are taking classes for credit or noncredit.
“For us, it’s (about) trying to identify a means to be able to support students who are in our Division of Continuing Education, which is noncredit, and to be able to also provide them additional support that is outside of our traditional student health and wellness,” says SCC Vice President of Student Services Christopher Sweeten.
SCC students enrolled in credit classes pay a health fee and have access to the campus Student Health & Wellness Services. While noncredit students do not participate in this program, they will now have full 24/7 access to the telehealth platform.
“By being able to leverage funds and resources, we can bring on TimelyCare to be able to support students who are taking courses through continuing education with their mental health, as well as their physical health needs,” Sweeten said.
Once the platform is launched in January, SCC students will use their single sign-on to log into TimelyCare, where they can schedule virtual appointments with a licensed physician or mental health professional. Access to the platform will also feature a “talk now” feature for “on-demand mental and emotional support, health literacy guidance and crisis management by masters-level mental health care professionals.”
Sweeten and the SCC team reviewed several different platforms before landing on TimelyCare. It was the company’s ability to be responsive to a wide range of student needs, along with its track record of working with two-year and four-year institutions, that made it the clear choice. Sweeten also acknowledged TimelyCare’s ability to provide physicians and clinicians who speak multiple languages, as well as those who can support students based on their specific needs.
“We know that there is a comfortability if you are, say, a trans individual who feels more comfortable talking to someone who’s from the LGBTQ community or who specializes in that, they have those individuals available,” Sweeten said. “Or if you feel more inclined to talk to someone who may be closely aligned to your spiritual or religious beliefs, they have that availability as well in terms of their filter.”
TimelyCare is secure and fully HIPAA compliant, and the platform will report out daily to SCC’s Health Services department so that on-campus physicians and nurses can follow up with students as needed. TimelyCare will also be able to access Orange County area resources to support students’ needs, and the platform has a wellness component that can provide students with modules such as yoga and breathing techniques.
This telehealth initiative, which is completely free to all SCC students, will be funded, in part, by designated mental health services funds from the state of California, along with other campus operational funds. With approximately 18,000 students enrolled in both credit and noncredit courses, SCC’s launching of TimelyCare reflects its commitment to supporting the mental health and wellness of the entire student body.
“It’s a means for us to be able to continue to explore how we meet the multifaceted needs of students and be able to support them,” Sweeten said. “We want to make sure that we can meet all of their needs so that as they either transition into a career, or upscale in terms of their career, or transfer out to a four-year university, they have tools and resources at their beckon to be able to ensure that they can continue to thrive throughout this journey of life.”
