Alabama Community College System Expands Mental Health for Students, Faculty, Staff, and Administration

Statewide partnership with Uwill provides traditional student and adult support

The Alabama Community College System (ACCS)—which provides affordable education and technical training to more than 170,000 Alabama residents each year—today announced a groundbreaking new partnership that  dramatically extends mental health resources for students, faculty, staff, and administration across its 24 community and technical colleges. Through a collaboration with pioneering mental health and wellness solution Uwill, the initiative will enhance mental health support system-wide by providing immediate access to licensed mental health counselors and connecting individuals in crisis with therapists trained in trauma. 

“Our decision to support our hardworking students, faculty, staff, and administrators with a unified platform for mental health resources reflects our focus on meeting the wide-ranging needs that come with balancing the complex commitments to education, work, family, and the community,” said Jimmy H. Baker, Chancellor, Alabama Community College System. “Our goal is to ensure that every member of our community college system has access to free, accessible mental health support to thrive in their endeavors.”

Recent survey data shows that 90% of adults believe the country is facing a mental health crisis. Meanwhile 42% of college students have expressed the need for help with mental health difficulties in the last year, but more than 60% have never received counseling or therapy. According to data compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 41% of adults in Alabama sought medical treatment for mental health issues between 2017 and 2019.

To help close this gap, the statewide community college mental health initiative will provide robust mental health support at all 24 of its colleges. Students, faculty and staff will be able to access Uwill’s innovative platform, the first of its kind, which offers an immediate appointment with a licensed counselor based on individual needs and preferences, all modalities of teletherapy, a direct crisis connection, realtime data, and wellness events. The initiative is reflective of the state of Alabama’s commitment to raising awareness of mental health issues and providing treatment and support services to those in need. In 2023, Governor Kay Ivey expanded the state’s existing mental health capacities through funding for six mental health crisis centers across the state.

“We are honored to support Alabama’s community college students during a time when there is growing awareness of the need to remove barriers to mental health support and its vital role in student success and well-being,” said Michael London, Founder and CEO of Uwill. “Our technology and counselor community provide a foundation for student resilience. Every student deserves not only access to mental health support, but also the opportunity to thrive.”

Uwill was founded in 2020 to help campus counseling centers tackle overwhelming student demand. The company now serves more than 3 million students worldwide. Utilizing its proprietary technology and counselor team, Uwill pioneered the first student and therapist matching platform that allows individuals to book an appointment with a therapist they choose in less than five minutes.

ABOUT THE ACCS: Alabama’s community and technical colleges were unified as one system May 3, 1963, when legislators laid the groundwork for a unified system of institutions to focus on accessible training in “arts and sciences and in useful skills and trades” for current and future labor needs. The important cause remains the singular purpose of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). With 24 community and technical colleges in more than 130 locations and an economic impact of $6.6 billion, the ACCS is Alabama’s gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. More than 170,000 Alabamians benefit from the various certification, credential, dual enrollment and degree programs ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry. ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees.