Pete Mendoza
Pete Mendoza | Vaquero Radio
UTRGV offers free mental health counseling services for all registered students through the mobile application called TimelyCare.
Director of the Counseling Center Christopher Albert said the TimelyCare app provides all-day access to mental health and well-being care when the UTRGV Counseling Center is not available.
“We’re only in our offices Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and sometimes students have a difficulty making that schedule and we know that mental health issues don’t stop at 5 p.m.,” Albert said. “TimelyCare is online only, but it’s 24/7 access.”
TimelyCare has a variety of services, which are the TalkNow message service, scheduled counseling, health coaching, psychiatry, self-care content, basic needs support and peer community.
Albert said scheduled counseling is one of the main services available via TimelyCare, giving students the ability to schedule an interview with a licensed professional counselor or master-level students. The TalkNow feature puts students in contact with someone within five minutes to provide emotional support. The Health coaching feature assists users in changing or improving lifestyle behaviors.
He said students’ mental health affects not only the mind but the body as well.
“If a student is struggling because, for example, they have like a more severe mental health issue, like clinical depression, that is going to impact their functioning,” Albert said. “They’re not going to be able to attend in their classes. They may not have the motivation or energy to even go to their classes and in some cases, students with mental health issues that are not addressed with treatment adequately, that may affect their physical health because they may cope with ways that are very unhealthy, such as using substances like alcohol or even intentionally injuring themselves.”
The director said mental health issues can be a part of life and students should seek support or professional help to overcome the struggles.
For more information on counseling and mental health, visit the Counseling Center website.
This is Pete Mendoza for Vaquero Radio.
