Bellarmine University adds digital peer support to their mental health suite, taking holistic wellbeing approach for 3,000 students

We are thrilled to announce that students at Bellarmine University now have access to a clinically moderated mental health support resource. Through a newly established collaboration with Togetherall, students can engage with a global community of peers, offering and receiving peer support in a safe and anonymous online environment, available 24/7/365.  

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Bellarmine University is a private Catholic institution, home to nearly 3,000 students. Gary Petiprin, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Students and Counseling Center Director, and his team were searching for ways to create a more holistic approach to mental health and wellbeing for their students. Digital peer support was a great fit for the University, and Dr. Petiprin chose Togetherall, made possible by a generous donor’s one-time gift. 

We asked Dr. Petiprin: why digital peer support? 

“The mental health needs of our students go well beyond what a solitary office or modality can accomplish. I believe we must take a multi-faceted and holistic approach that includes peer support. Humans need the type of social connection and understanding that comes from our peers, whether an 18-year-old student or 60-year-old mental health professional/administrator. We need someone who ‘gets’ our lived experience.” 

Regarding how Togetherall fits into their existing mental health suite, Dr. Petiprin shared, 

“Our current services include crisis services (ProtoCall), consultation, group therapy, and short-term individual therapy through the Counseling Center and the Behavioral Sports Medicine Team with Athletics. The partnership that Togetherall has with ProtoCall Call Center is ideal for providing a seamless connection between those services and integration with our on-campus services.” 

A component of Togetherall’s service that sets us apart from other digital peer support platforms is our round-the-clock clinical oversight – that is, real, live, licensed clinicians monitoring the online community for high-risk language, responding to conversations and escalating cases through the proper channels when necessary.  

“Clinical moderation for any online support is essential,” Dr. Petiprin said. “We are all familiar with the nightmare scenarios that can emerge with unmoderated social media platforms. Without the clinical moderation component, I would not feel comfortable utilizing a similar online peer-based support service.”

In closing, Dr. Petiprin shared with us his vision for the future. 

“My vision for our students and entire campus community is to build a collective social environment that fosters resilience and emotional/social well-being,” he shared. “My hope is that every single student has someone in whom they can confide and receive genuine empathy and encouragement. Supporting one another in our quest for well-being and dealing with life’s challenges should be the collective work of our entire community, not just the Counseling Center. I believe the name “Togetherall” reflects that very vision.”

He went on to say, 

“Our goals are to engage 10% of our overall student population with Togetherall, particularly our marginalized and underrepresented student populations (LGBTQI+, BIPOC, low-income, and first-generation) and lowering the number of students who feel isolated and in need of help.”

Togetherall wholly supports Dr. Petiprin’s mission and is honored to support the students at Bellarmine University throughout this school year and beyond.  

About Togetherall  

To date, Togetherall is available to 4.6 million students worldwide at more than 450 colleges and universities. Togetherall is the leading clinically managed, peer-to-peer, online support community where students can share what’s on their minds, anonymously, safely, and in-the-moment, 24/7/365. Students can connect through shared lived experiences with a global network of peers, backed by the safeguarding of real, live, licensed clinicians overseeing the community around-the-clock. These clinicians empower individuals in peer support and foster and maintain a safe, vibrant environment.   

If you are interested in offering safe and scalable ways to support your students’ mental health, contact us to find out more about Togetherall’s online community.