Faculty, Staff and Students,

Greetings again. As always, I hope you are all doing well.

I know it has been an adjustment these first few weeks, but I trust that everyone has begun to find their routines. And as you do, it is common for all of us to become lost in our everyday lives. Between work, family, friends, and commitments, we sometimes lose track of the people who matter most: We forget about ourselves.

It is especially true when it comes to our mental health. For years, the topics surrounding mental health have become increasingly more visible, and the taboos of talking about them have faded. Here in the College of Health Sciences, we are proud to say that we want you to keep the focus on yourself; it’s why we continuously use this space to pass along information we think could be of good use.

For instance, last month, UK announced three new initiatives:

Talk Space — https://www.talkspace.com/uky
This is online therapy that includes two live sessions per month for each student as well as texting and audio/visual messages in between sessions.

TogetherAll — https://togetherall.com/
TogetherAll is a safe online community to share feelings anonymously and get support to improve mental health and wellbeing. In the community people support each other, safely monitored by licensed and registered mental health practitioners.

Kognito — https://kognito.com/
Kognito is a 45-minute, web-based training simulation module to train students, faculty and staff in recognizing signs of mental health issues, distress and suicide, as well as how to communicate with and refer at-risk students.

Additionally, if you have a question or need advice on student experiences or services, you can call 218-YouK (859-218-9685) Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., or leave a voicemail after hours to have someone return your call.

For specific mental health and crisis support, TRACS (Triage, Referral, Assistance and Crisis Support) is a physical and virtual one-stop shop at 859-218-7227, where students can come for a quick referral to support services or receive direct clinical support for a range of mental health needs and crises. Services are offered in-person and virtually, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wellness coaching and education is also available through POWER and Student Success (including financial wellness, campus recreation, the Counseling Center, violence intervention and prevention, etc.).

Employees at the university also have a host of options available to them for wellness, including up to five free one-hour visits with a therapist through UK HR Work-Life. More information can be found at https://www.uky.edu/hr/work-life-and-well-being.

Please, if you feel you’re in need of help, there are several places to find it. Reach out. We’re all here for you.

Best,

Scott