News
Foothill College offers Togetherall for mental health services
Foothill College is now using Togetherall to offer its students free, online peer-to-peer support as part of the college’s comprehensive mental health program. The newly introduced service provided by the Togetherall platform empowers students to safely and anonymously seek and provide support 24/7 within a unique, clinically moderated mental health community.
Conversations with Togetherall were initiated by Wellness Ambassadors from Foothill’s
Psychological Services program. These student representatives were drawn to the platform
for its peer-to-peer connectivity and safety nets. Moreover, they were impressed with
the variety of ways Togetherall’s platform supports their mission pillars of reducing
the stigma surrounding mental health disorders, creating a strong student community
and fostering an inclusive and non-judgmental campus culture.
Foothill College Wellness Ambassadors state, “As a student, my college career has
been defined by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And like many people around me, the
tragic events this past year have taken a toll on my mental health. In less fortunate
circumstances, there would be fewer opportunities to seek out help and guidance given
quarantine, but because Togetherall enables long-distance aid, my peers and I can
receive the assistance we need during these times.”
“As a student, college isn’t easy and sometimes can be overwhelming. Trying to adjust
from going to school in person to all virtual has been difficult but Foothill College
services has been easier than ever to access. Because Togetherall provides digital
mental health resources I can continue to receive service while being safe.”
Chief among the benefits are the size, depth and breadth of the Togetherall community,
which allow for a diverse, inclusive experience that inherently fosters participants’
ability to normalize their feelings.
Foothill’s Psychological Services counselors are confident that by offering the new
services of Togetherall, they will be able to help combat feelings of isolation and
mitigate heightened levels of anxiety and depression, in addition to the mental health
issues that have always been part of being a college student.
“With the undeniable increase in mental health needs for our Foothill students since
the beginning of the pandemic, we are beyond thrilled to offer our students a highly
accessible resource that is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via a platform
that works well for our new generation of students,” said Leticia Maldonado, Dean
of Students. “Our Psych Services team has worked tirelessly to creatively engage our
students and provide the highest quality services, and we are enthusiastic about our
collaboration with Togetherall and expanding our reach to a much broader population
of students who may not be inclined to schedule a therapy appointment or make that
call for help.”
Alexis Donato, Department Chair with Psychological Services & Personal Counseling
states, “We were immediately impressed by the platform’s clinical oversight—which
gave us the assurance we needed to confidently move forward with the partnership.
Of course it goes without saying that we’ve always valued peer-to-peer connections
in student mental health support. We’re excited to encourage members of our campus
community to use the many resources available through this new platform to connect
with each other, benefit from the power of shared experiences and understand more
about their feelings.”
“The impact of our new normal is going to have long-lasting effects on student mental
health challenges across the board—from freshmen just out of high school to returning
students, and from those utilizing a hybrid class schedule to those taking an exclusively
online learning approach,” said Matthew McEvoy, Senior Vice President and General
Manager of Togetherall in North America. “Togetherall commends Foothill College for
recognizing the diversity of situations, challenges and needs that define their campus
and for prioritizing the emotional wellbeing of students by offering them a safe and
welcoming community they can turn to, anytime, anywhere.”
Students can register for Togetherall using their personal email address. Please note the college does not operate the Togetherall platform and is not responsible for monitoring the postings there. If you are in need of emergency assistance, please call 9-1-1.
May 21, 2021