Karen Van Norman Featured in Influential Media

Karen Van Norman, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Division of Student Services, briefed influential media on Seton Hall’s role as an early NJ higher education institution participant to offer students free 24/7 access to Uwill, the leading teletherapy student mental health and wellness service, through its easy to use online platform.

The article,  Free, 24/7 mental health care launching for NJ college students, was featured on numerous media platforms including NJ 101.5 and Health-Reporter News. Van Norman highlighted how Seton Hall University was one of the first higher education institutions to sign on to Uwill, conducting a soft launch of the virtual platform this summer.

"We've already had over 100 students sign up for Uwill and begin utilizing it," said Van Norman.  "We know that number is going to grow exponentially when the fall semester kicks off."

By partnering directly with Uwill, New Jersey is the first state in the nation to offer comprehensive tele-mental health services to college students across 44 institutions throughout the state. This partnership was made possible by $10 million in American Rescue Plan funds that were allocated to OSHE in the State's Fiscal Year 2023 budget for tele-mental health supports. The funding complements the State's $16 million investment for institutions of higher education to develop community provider partnerships and build multicultural competency among faculty and staff through professional development opportunities.

Van Norman explained how all Seton Hall students enrolled at the South Orange, Interprofessional Health Services campus (Nutley) and the Law school (Newark) campuses have free and immediate access to Uwill services throughout the entire year. This offering is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to address the growing young adults mental health crisis.

This new virtual offering complements Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) one-on-one in-person therapeutic sessions that are available for students on campus. A wide range of therapeutic services are available and designed to foster the psychological health and well-being of students to help them thrive, develop, and achieve academic and personal success.

"What we know so far is that the students who are using Uwill are students who have not utilized our on-campus services previously," Van Norman said.

Learn more about Seton Hall’s partnership with Uwill here.

The NJ101.5 article is available here.

Students can access Uwill  by making an account with their SHU email and choosing a therapist based on their preferences including availability, issue, gender, language, ethnicity. Students can also choose a time that fits their schedule with day, night and weekend availability.

Additional information on how to access the Uwill teletherapy program is available here.

If you need any assistance, you can refer to the Uwill FAQ, Student User Guide, or reach out directly to Uwill at [email protected] or call (833) 998-9455.

Categories: Campus Life, Health and Medicine