As mental health concerns among college students rise nationwide, the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education Friday released new data identifying important mental health needs among New Jersey’s college students and underscoring the positive impact of a state-funded teletherapy program providing services that are free for students.
Based on data from a statewide partnership with mental-health provider Uwill, the findings highlight the delivery of over 78,000 counseling sessions to 18,223 college students at 45 institutions across New Jersey since the program launched in 2023.
“New Jersey is rethinking student mental health — not as an add-on, but as a cornerstone of student success and our statewide college completion strategy,” said Dr. Brian K. Bridges, secretary of higher education for the state of New Jersey. “Meeting students’ mental health needs is essential to keeping them on track as they navigate family, personal, work, and financial responsibilities alongside academic commitments. Our state’s investment in student mental health is ultimately about advancing completion and expanding economic opportunity.”
Mental health and emotional stress rank among the top reasons students consider leaving college, according to data from Gallup. The partnership between OSHE and Uwill complements on-campus wellness and counseling centers to build capacity and expand access. Through Uwill’s platform, students can connect with a licensed counselor in less than 24 hours and choose a provider that best fits their needs.
Among the key data trends are:
- Flexible scheduling drives access: More than one in four sessions (30%) took place outside of traditional business hours, including 19.2% on weeknights and 9.6% on weekends.
- Students are reaching out for support across all areas of life: Among students seeking counseling, the most common focus areas were self-esteem, loneliness, trauma, academic concerns, and body image.
- Support continues when school is out: In 2024 alone, more than 12,000 therapy sessions occurred during summer break or winter intersession.
● Substantial savings for students: With a typical therapy copay estimated at $30 per session, New Jersey students have saved a collective $2.2 million in out-of-pocket costs through the platform.
