The University of British Columbia has received a two and a half million dollar investment in a second wellness centre and the general expansion of mental health services on campus. The money will provide funds for nine new counsellors, an increased number of Access and Diversity Counsellors, a new Director of Well-being and a second location for the Wellness Centre with three professional staff members who will act as Wellness Advisors, among other services.
“We want to emphasize that mental health is part of the health continuum and to reduce the barriers for those seeking help,” said Patricia Mirwaldt, Director of Student Health Services and overseer of the current Wellness Centre.
The initiative responds to UBC’s 2016 Undergraduate Experience Survey that reveals that 67 per cent of students report stress, anxiety, and depression as factors that negatively affect their academic performance.
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