Regulation on Awareness and Accessibility of Student Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

Purpose. The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that constituent institutions promote consistent, visible, and accessible awareness of mental health and well-being resources for all students. Findings from the 2024-25 Healthy Minds Study indicate that many college students experience mental health challenges, yet a substantial number do not seek formal support because they are unaware of available resources or are uncertain about how to access them. This regulation establishes minimum requirements for the centralized communication, promotion, and accessibility of institutional mental health and well-being resources in order to reduce barriers to accessing support, promote proactive student well-being, encourage timely engagement with available services and programs, and strengthen student retention, persistence, and academic success.

Goal. The goal of this regulation is to ensure that all students receive timely, consistent, and accessible information about available mental health and well-being resources, services, and proactive well-being programs through coordinated communication efforts across the student educational journey.

Responsibilities of Constituent Institutions. Chancellors, or their designees, shall be responsible for ensuring institutional compliance with this regulation. Each institution shall designate appropriate offices or personnel to implement, maintain, and monitor the requirements outlined herein, including maintaining accurate and current resource information and ensuring integration across required communication channels.

Centralized Resource Hub. Each institution shall establish, maintain, and routinely update a publicly accessible website landing page that serves as the centralized hub for student mental health and well-being resources. The centralized resource hub shall include:

Clear descriptions of available mental health services, well-being resources, and proactive student well-being programs;

Information regarding how students may access available services, programs, and supports; and

Relevant contact information, including crisis response resources and emergency contacts, as appropriate; and institutions shall ensure that all information presented on the centralized resource hub remains accurate and current.

Learning Management System Access. Each institution shall prominently display a link to the centralized resource hub on the primary dashboard or homepage of the institution’s learning management system. Institutions are encouraged to provide additional messaging and visibility during periods of heightened student stress (e.g. midterm and final examination periods).

Admissions Communications. Each institution shall include the link to the centralized resource hub in official admissions communications selected by the institution for distribution to all new students, including first-year, transfer, and graduate students.

D. Orientation Communications. Each institution shall include the link to the centralized resource hub in orientation communications selected by the institution for distribution to all new students, including first-year, transfer, and graduate students.

E. Student Employee Communications. Each institution shall provide all student employees with a link to the centralized resource hub through an official employment communication, such as a job offer, hiring, or onboarding communication as applicable.

F. Faculty and Staff Onboarding. Each institution is strongly encouraged to provide faculty and staff with information regarding the centralized resource hub as part of institutional onboarding processes in order to promote a culture of awareness and shared responsibility for student well-being.

G. Digital Literacy and Digital Well-Being. Institutions are encouraged to incorporate digital literacy and digital well-being education into mental health awareness efforts. Such efforts may include education related to healthy engagement with social media, artificial intelligence, and other digital technologies. These efforts should support students’ ability to:

Critically evaluate digital content;

Develop and engage in healthy online behaviors and digital habits;

Understand the responsible and ethical use of digital technologies and the importance of digital safety; and

Access mental health resources and support in digital environments.

IV. System-Level Resource Directory. The UNC System Office shall establish and maintain a publicly accessible System-level landing page that serves as a centralized directory of constituent institution mental health and well-being resource hubs. The directory shall include direct links to each institution’s centralized student mental health and well-being resource hub and shall be reviewed and updated annually to ensure accuracy and accessibility.

V. Other Matters.

A. Effective Date. The requirements of this regulation shall be effective on the date of adoption of this regulation by the president. Institutions shall fully comply with this regulation within one calendar year of the effective date.

B. Relation to Federal and State Laws and Policies. The foregoing regulation as adopted by the president is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify, those statutory enactments, regulations, and policies which may govern or relate to the subject matter of this regulation.

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