By SOPHIA GUILD/Staff Writer
UT Tyler is offering 24/7 mental health counseling services through a new app called My Student Support Program (SSP). The free program allows students to access real-time professional counselors via phone, video, or chat. Andrew Petee, dean of students, said the app provides a vital layer of support for students.
“There’s all of these things that students are dealing with right now,” Petee said. “That’s really where the drive was to get My SSP so that students have the maximum amount of support.”
Made in partnership with LifeWorks, My SSP offers a wide variety of services, including 24/7 counseling services, real-time chat support, anonymous mental health assessments, and a virtual fitness feature. According to LifeWorks, My SSP supports counseling services in over 150 languages and includes a worldwide network of over 35,000 counselors, coaches, and specialized professionals.
“We have this dedicated service that provides students with more comfort in knowing that they’re going to be calling someone geared towards helping college students,” said Petee.
Many counselors are limited to practicing in states only where they are licensed. My SSP allows counselors to expand their support for students across state lines and for international online students.
“My SSP allows us to expand the support of services to our online students,” explained Petee. “We have online students who are not in Texas. If we have an online student who’s in Montana, they can get on My SSP and get connected with a counselor who’s licensed in Montana.”
My SSP offers counseling services in languages such as English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Other languages may be available by appointment.
“If I’m an international student and I’m more comfortable speaking in a different language, [My SSP] will line you up with a counselor who speaks your native language so you can get the most out of the impact,” said Petee. “That provides such a wide array of diversity for our students.”
In compliance with HIPAA laws, all calls, chats, and conversations with My SSP are kept confidential. Student information is not shared with friends, family, or professors.
“Engagement with My SSP is confidential,” LifeWorks said on their website. “Your identifiable data is not shared with your institution without your consent.”
To access My SSP from anywhere at any time, simply search for ‘My SSP’ via the Apple App Store or Google Play. After registering through the app, students can call or chat with a Student Support Counselor in real time, or they can schedule a telephone or video session. Students can also browse the digital library for helpful articles and videos and access the virtual fitness features.
Students may call directly from the My SSP app or direct via +1 (416) 380-6578.
If calling from outside of North America, students can call 001-416-380-6578.
“You don’t know you need it until you need it,” Petee said. “If you already have it downloaded, then it removes that barrier from getting that immediate support. It’s important because mental health doesn’t work on an 8-5 clock.”
For more information about counseling at UT Tyler, visit https://www.uttyler.edu/counseling/ .