WHEREAS, More than half of community college students meet the criteria for the diagnosis of one or more mental health issues while less than one-third of them access mental health treatment [1];
WHEREAS, Mental health issues can affect a student's concentration, motivation, and discipline, leading to poor academic performance;
WHEREAS, The implementation of Animal Assisted Therapy Services has been shown to lower anxiety, reduce loneliness, and aid in the natural release of serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin [2]; and
WHEREAS, The practice of meditation has been proven to have significant benefits for mental health such as reduced anxiety and depression [3]; Now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges actively support the continual use of therapy animals on college campuses to support students' mental well-being, at no extra cost to the students;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for the creation and maintenance of accessible and well-furnished meditation spaces on college campuses while encouraging the colleges’ mental health centers to advertise them; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage colleges to set up and maintain digital mental health care services such as initial self-screening kiosks available on multiple locations on campuses and partnering with online mental health providers such as Academic Live Care or TIMELYCare to provide flexible and regular care to their students;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for colleges to develop on-campus crisis resource centers for students in need to access “by drop-in” with no previous appointment needed and crisis-counseling training to mental health center personnel.
Sources:
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8417151/
[2]https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/pac/about-us/animal-assisted-therapy-research