PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (May 28, 2021) – Thanks to a new grant from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) has become the latest institution to partner with META teletherapy, the leading mental health marketplace for higher education institutions. This new partnership gives students access to a nationwide network of thousands of licensed and vetted mental health providers, in addition to PVAMU’s counseling staff, for private counseling help at their fingertips.
“Our counselors have been treating students dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, either pre-existing, caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Tondra L. Moore, PhD, JD, MPH, PVAMU’s executive director of Health Services. “The grant from Thurgood Marshall College Fund will provide PVAMU students with META services, giving us an additional resource to help meet our expanded need.”
Registered students will not be charged a co-pay or asked for insurance to use META’s service. Committed to meeting the need, the university also decided to expand the services available through META, providing additional free sessions for students on a first-come, first-served basis.
“To keep lack of insurance and ability to pay from being a barrier to care, the university designated funds to expand the service,” said Moore. “Students can still receive short-term counseling from Student Counseling Services free of charge, but during this time, there are limited resources and a small staff. This new partnership with META will help us reach more students and prevent long wait times.”
Students can download the META app for free. The app has an Uber-like feel, where they can choose a counselor based on their preferences for gender, therapy style, ethnicity, language and more. They can then receive chat, video or voice counseling through the privacy and convenience of their smartphones. The app presents available online counselors for immediate connection, but students also have the option to leave a chat or voice message to schedule a future session.
“Prairie View A&M University supports thousands of traditional and non-traditional students, including international students, veterans and remote learners,” said Moore. “When I was approached with this opportunity, I immediately saw how it would expand access to care for all of our students, especially during this pandemic. We are increasingly aware of the increased burden it is placing upon our mental health professionals to respond. So, any additional resources is a necessary investment.”
-PVAMU-