University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) provides digital peer support & Trained Peers for their diverse commuter student body

We are excited to announce that students at the University of Houston–Clear Lake (UHCL) can now access a clinically moderated mental health support resource where they can connect with a global community of peers with shared lived experiences. The university launched a partnership with Togetherall, a safe and anonymous space in which students can benefit from an online peer-to-peer community by giving and getting support 24/7. UHCL offers Togetherall’s platform in addition to their existing services, including individual counseling, Protocall’s crisis call center, and other digital tools.  

Based in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) is a four-year institution with a commuter campus for over 9,000 students. UHCL’s population is diverse: 43% of undergraduates are over 25; 47% of students are Hispanic/Latino; and 64% are female. With such an eclectic, dispersed student body, addressing mental health needs and support can be challenging for university administrators. Cynthia Cook, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist and Executive Director of Counseling, Health and Career Services at UHCL, said, 

As a commuter campus, often our students might find it difficult to connect with one another. We’re hopeful that Togetherall can help students feel connected and supported by other students. Our Center’s mission is ‘Connect*Empower*Thrive’, so we feel that the connection piece isn’t only from our direct services, but our mission is to help them feel connected on all levels.

Supporting individuals feeling isolation and a of lack of connectedness is at the heart of what Togetherall does. UHCL’s challenges with a widespread student population can be addressed with our digital peer-to-peer support community, where students can connect with one another anywhere, anytime. Dr. Cook said,

When students feel more connected to the university as a whole, academic performance and satisfaction tend to increase.

What’s more, Togetherall’s community is anonymous, so individuals can be open and honest with how they’re feeling without fear of stigma or judgement. The platform is overseen by real, live, licensed clinicians, who monitor student interactions 24/7, responding, escalating, and intervening when necessary. No other service provides this level of clinical rigor. 

In addition to our peer support community, UHCL also adopted our Trained Peers Program. Togetherall’s Trained Peers Program trains a handful of students from an institution’s population with mental health knowledge so they can empower their peers, gain a digital credential, and advocate for Togetherall in their college community. Dr. Cook said,

Peer support and especially Trained Peers are an important part of holistic care for the mental health for our students. It’s the integration with our crisis services that made this program essential.

About Togetherall 

Togetherall is available to 4.6 million students worldwide. In recent survey data, the majority of respondents cited feelings of depression and anxiety as their reason for joining. More than one-third of surveyed students reported that Togetherall is the only mental health support they are using. Registrant data also reflected the diversity of students using Togetherall, with 48% identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), and 5% identifying as transgender or non-binary.     

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 support community.