2026 Breakout SessionsSessions are listed in no particular order. Date and time of presentations will be assigned and updated soon. Session Title: "Building a Campus-Wide Ensemble Cast Through Outreach: A Multisystemic Approach to Mental Health and Well-being" Presenter(s): Melissa Shuman Zarin - Montclair State University Tiffany Ciprian - Montclair State University Jude Uy - Montclair State University Abstract: Never before has it been more important to integrate mental health and wellness initiatives across higher education. As college student demographics and needs continue to shift with increased complexity related to mental health, identity, basic needs, belonging, and societal stressors, our outreach efforts require more integrated and holistic approaches. The commitment to the mental health of our students and campus community needs to span all levels, and across curricular and co-curricular departments. At Montclair State University, the needs of our students have become increasingly multifaceted, and our reach to campus partners has expanded significantly. We have woven mental health, wellness, and inclusion initiatives throughout the university. We are working with our campus partners on bridging the silos and embracing a more holistic understanding of mental health, in order to create a more integrated support system that directly connects mental health to student resilience, belonging, academic success, and retention. We will share our successful Let's Talk program of nine locations across campus, our thriving CAPS Mental Health Ambassador program, the addition of a Care Team coordinator in the Dean of Student's Office and creation of the Montclair Cares Holistic Website. We will highlight our growing Mental Health First Aid program, the development of the Mental Health and Wellness Task Force, growing partnerships with the Office of Student Belonging, and higher level inclusion and community initiatives with the Office of Inclusive Excellence and President's Office. We will share an overview of our intentional and persistent process, which has included obtaining support from basic needs related community grants, JED campus and the Steve Fund partnerships, and collaborative grants through Interfaith America. Presenters will discuss the challenges, the strategies, and lessons learned along the way. Participants will also have the opportunity to share their experiences on their respective campuses. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: "It Takes a Campus: Building Faculty, Staff, and Athletic Partnerships to Support Student Mental Health" Presenter(s): Shahani Samarasekera - DePaul University Abstract: In the landscape of collegiate mental health, University Counseling Centers are often positioned as the primary architect of the campus safety net. Historically, outreach has centered on direct engagement with students; however, the effectiveness of this safety net depends less on the volume of student-facing programming and more on the strength of relationships built with campus "frontline" partners, including faculty, staff, academic advisers, and athletic coaches and trainers. This session reframes outreach as a partner-centered strategy that expands beyond students to those who interact with them most frequently and are often the first to recognize signs of concern. This presentation introduces a framework for shifting outreach from a service-delivery model to a consultation-driven partnership model that emphasizes empowerment, role clarity, and shared responsibility. Using a top-down approach, the session explores how counseling centers can embed outreach within existing campus structures rather than relying on isolated or single programming. Central to this model is the development of a Frontline Competency Loop that integrates structured trainings, such as MHFA, with ongoing consultative engagement. These consultative spaces include attendance at departmental staff meetings, new faculty orientations, athletic department meetings, and tailored trainings on mental health topics relevant to specific departments. When integrated into routine campus operations, these spaces normalize consultation, reduce the "comfort gap" experienced by non-clinical partners, and increase confidence in recognizing concerns, responding within role boundaries, and facilitating timely referrals. Attendees will explore strategies for navigating departmental silos, clarifying expectations for non-clinical partners, and reinforcing mental health as a shared institutional value. By expanding outreach to include embedded consultative spaces with frontline campus partners, counseling centers can create a more resilient system of support in which fewer students fall through the cracks and student wellbeing is supported across multiple levels of the institution. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Beyond the Flyers: The Unspoken Foundations of High-Impact Counseling Outreach Presenter(s): DeAudra Reed - Georgia Southern University Abstract: As counseling centers expand their outreach efforts, effective partnership-building has become a foundational skill rather than an advanced specialization. Outreach is no longer limited to isolated programs or one-time collaborations; instead, it requires intentional relationship-building that supports a connected campus mental health ecosystem. This session is designed for outreach professionals who are early in their roles or seeking to strengthen their foundational approach to campus partnerships. This presentation outlines core principles for building sustainable, high-trust partnerships that extend beyond transactional engagement. Participants will examine how to identify key campus stakeholders, understand partner priorities, and communicate counseling center outreach goals in shared, accessible language. This presentation is well suited for early-career outreach coordinators, counselors with outreach responsibilities, and student affairs professionals seeking to build meaningful, collaborative mental health initiatives across campus. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Bridges, Not Barriers: Campus Strategies for Equity Centered Mental Health Outreach Presenter(s): Samantha Marcellis - College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL Charlotte Amenkhienan - Cook Counseling Center, Virginia Tech Tobirus Newby - University of Berkeley, University Health Services Katherine (Davey) Olsen - Rollins College Wellness Center, Rollins College Leonette Copeland - Florida Atlantic University Counseling and Psychological Services Abstract: Colleges and universities across the United States are navigating an increasingly complex sociopolitical climate, marked by new executive orders, shifting public discourse, and heightened scrutiny of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. These changes have had a direct impact on the mental health and sense of belonging of marginalized student communities, as well as on the professionals who support them. This panel brings together mental health outreach practitioners from a diverse range of campuses large public institutions, small private colleges, community colleges, and minority serving institutions to share the adaptive strategies they are using to sustain equity centered mental health outreach services during this period of rapid change and varied levels of limitations. Panelists will reflect on the distinct experiences and challenges emerging from their respective campuses. In addition, they will outline the culturally responsive programming, cross campus collaborations, and innovative strategies that help them navigate institutional constraints while upholding social justice and student centered values. Attendees will gain insight into emerging national trends, practical tools for continuing DEI aligned mental health work under restrictive conditions, and examples of how campuses are preserving safe, inclusive, and affirming spaces for students who are most affected by current policy shifts. The session aims to foster collective problem solving, highlight resilience within the field, and inspire new pathways for supporting student well being in challenging times. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Building Strong Liaison Relationships Across Campus Presenter(s): Brian Kassar - Montana State University Sanaye Thompson - Montana State University Abstract: University Counseling Centers (UCCs) are vital in offering inclusive, culturally responsive support for all students. This session highlights how liaison relationships with key campus groups: fraternity/sorority-affiliated students, military-affiliated students, and indigenous students, were developed. At times, our own assumptions combined with fraternities' varying levels of readiness to host mental health programming can make these organizations feel challenging to engage. However, when we approach these partnerships with supportive intent and a willingness to "speak their language," fraternities can become some of the strongest and most influential allies in campus mental health promotion. This segment of the panel will highlight practical strategies and examples for engaging fraternity men, as well as sorority women, in meaningful outreach efforts that resonate with their values and organizational structures. The Veteran and Military-Affiliated community is a protected class with known needs for mental health support, especially when adding in the transition into student-life. While they can be serviced as non-traditional students, it's important to include cultural competencies specific to their military experience. This section will focus on how establishing a strong, effective, and meaningful liaison relationship with Veteran Support or ROTC offices on campus can help bridge the gap for mental health support, intervention, and prevention for this population; and how to extend the liaison relationship into providing cultural competency workshops for staff and faculty on how to support this population. American Indian and Alaska Native students often face distinct mental health challenges in higher education, many of which stem from historical and ecological factors. Building relationships, integrating spiritual considerations into counseling practices, and minimizing administrative barriers to accessing care are key strategies for supporting these students throughout their academic journey. This section will explore approaches to fostering partnerships with existing campus services that serve indigenous students, with the goal of promoting and supporting traditional healing practices. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Care Across Campus: Meeting Diverse Needs Through Layered Suicide Prevention Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: A Layered Approach to Campus Suicide Prevention Presenter(s): Abstract: Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people ages 12–24 (The JED Foundation, 2019), with rates among college-aged students (18–25) on the rise (MacPhee et al., 2021). Campuses represent critical environments for prevention, early intervention, and the cultivation of protective factors (MacPhee, 2021). This workshop advances the premise that supporting student emotional health, specifically suicide prevention, must be a shared, campus-wide responsibility. Grounded in a public health framework and informed by the JED's Campus Theory of Change, the workshop provides an example of one college counseling center's approach to comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to suicide prevention to meet the diverse and ever-changing needs of its campus community. Research has demonstrated that multimodal, multidisciplinary interventions—particularly those that combine peer-led outreach, screening, gatekeeper training, and coordinated messaging—are more effective than singular or siloed approaches (Macfee, 2021). Special attention will be given to the role of protective psychological factors, including hope, as research suggests that hope can buffer the impact of key suicide risk factors such as perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness (Ropaj, 2023). Incorporating hope into outreach initiatives and programming has important implications in fostering meaning, agency, and belonging among students and the campus community as a whole. Through examples and discussion, this workshop invites attendees to examine how having a variety of campus suicide prevention initiatives and programs, meet the differing needs of campus stakeholders, can strengthen emotional safety nets and create cultures of care. Emphasis will be placed on scalable strategies that support connection, collaboration, and shared ownership of student mental health across the institution. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Challenging Silence, Reclaiming Purpose: Embodying Uncompromising Integrity Presenter(s): Abstract: This interactive discussion session explores the reality of the impact of the current social political climate (Bhugra & Ventriglio, 2023; Smith, 2022; Smith et al., 2025) on university and college campuses and within our communities. The 90 minute session will engage in three topics based on the personal and professional experiences of mental health and outreach professionals passionate about the value of diversity, equity and inclusion. The content of the discussion topics will cover the conspiracy of silence, collective exhaustion (Gaspar et al., 2025; Mittal et al., 2023) and grief (Shi et al., 2022), the engagement of advocacy (Guerrero et al., 2024). and participation in self-care and wellness (Collins & Cassill, 2022; Crisp & Bartels, 2025; French et al., 2020; Rivera-Kloeppel & Mendenhall, 2023; Wyatt & Ampadu, 2022). Leading into each discussion will include a brief overview of the content based on current research, followed by facilitated interactive and case-based discussions. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Closing the Gaps: A Campuswide Model for Faculty Engagement in Student Mental Health Presenter(s): Mikaela Walburg - Grand Valley State University Abstract: While many college learners will access campus counseling services, most will not. This poses the question: How does a college counseling center support the wellbeing of thousands of learners, not only those in treatment? Notably as individual clinical needs remain high and require the time and attention of available campus mental health professionals. A trained community of support that equips other members of the community, including administrators, students, faculty, and staff, is one answer. This session will focus on Grand Valley State University's broad and multi-dimensional efforts to support faculty and staff in supporting student mental health, both within and outside of the classroom. Grounded in research and best-practice, the University Counseling Center at Grand Valley State University has worked to create an infrastructure that includes mental health training and resources required for all faculty staff, in addition to a wealth of available programs, initiatives, and tools at their disposal. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Expanding the Scope of Suicide Prevention Presenter(s): Abstract: While college counseling center outreach historically focused on marketing the counseling center and reducing stigma, more recently the scope has been redefined as "the extension of the caring wisdom and expertise of the college counseling center to the campus community" (Glass et al., 2025). This presentation will explore ways that suicide prevention fits within this model. Specifically, we'll discuss a gatekeeper program "that seeks to go beyond the traditional gatekeeper approach by preparing gatekeepers for the emotional intensity that they are likely to experience supporting students in crisis" (Campus Connect, 2025)." Paralleling Frieda Fromm-Reichmann's "the patient needs an experience, not an explanation," we'll discuss other ways our efforts go beyond education and funneling students into clinical services and instead enhance self-awareness and emotional preparation among our campus community when encountering students in distress. With the sobering knowledge that the overwhelming majority of college students who die by suicide are unknown to their respective counseling centers (Campus Connect), we'll discuss ways being proactive has helped our counseling center reduce the overall number of students seeking services while increasing the utilization of those who are most in need. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: From Backstage to Center Stage: Unlocking Your Outreach Superpowers to Strengthen Relationships and Amplify Impact Presenter(s): Emily Connell - University of Miami Abstract: In today's rapidly shifting higher education landscape, outreach professionals are increasingly called to step from backstage into center stage as leaders, collaborators, and connectors. This interactive session helps participants identify and activate their unique "outreach superpowers with authenticity at the forefront to strengthen relationships, elevate visibility, and amplify impact across their institution. Through guided reflection, strengths based assessment, and collaborative activities, attendees will explore how personal style, presence, and genuine self expression enhance connection and trust building. The session will also address common barriers that keep outreach teams in the shadows such as limited buy in, unclear expectations, siloed departments, and competing demands and provide practical strategies for navigating these challenges. Participants will learn how outreach professionals can build trust with key stakeholders, meet diverse audiences where they are, and create shared ownership of mental health promotion while showing up authentically. Drawing on the University of Miami's evolution of outreach as a strategic partner and leadership voice, attendees will map their own institutional context and develop a personalized action plan aligned with their center's size, structure, and goals. Participants will leave with renewed confidence, concrete tools, and the momentum needed to bring themselves and their teams fully into the spotlight. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Got Embedded? An Interactive Panel and Discussion with New and Established Embedded Professionals and Programming Takeaways for All Presenter(s): Kelly Clougher - University of Iowa Ashley Evearitt - University of Michigan Carrie Finkill - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Jennifer House - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Abstract: Does your center have embedded clinicians? Are they partially embedded, fully embedded, or embedded yet disconnected from your center? Increasing numbers of university and college counseling centers have some method of connecting with and strengthening relationships with academic colleges, residence halls, and cultural centers across campus. Embedded therapists and programs expand service accessibility, particularly to underserved students; deepen relationships via personal connection; and provide innovative, bespoke, and prevention programming all while meeting students "where they are". However, the transfer of embedded knowledge from one institution to another can be limited, and little is known about current embedded programming methods utilized across various institutions. This presentation and panel discussion draws together a range of embedded clinicians and supervisors from multiple institutions, from early stage to more established embedded programs. Embedded therapists and programs will be defined, benefits of embedded programs reviewed, and barriers to embedded implementation delineated. Successful strategies, innovative programming, as well as other challenges will be discussed, all while inviting audience member questions, comments, and participation. Attendees will be invited to "share the stage" and brainstorm strategies that they can bring back to their institution whether to start, add to, or finesse their embedded and/or outreach programming. Panelists will also highlight insights from embedded programming that can be applied to all outreach professionals, as we seek to share transferrable skills to avoid "reinventing the wheel". Embedded therapists and programming illuminate what it means to be engaged in collaborative, preventative, innovative work, all while building trust and reducing stigma via long term relationship building through an ecosystems level framework. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: GROW Presenter(s): Abstract: The CAPS GROW series at Penn State Harrisburg is a proactive, resilience-based outreach initiative engaging students. Designed by the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), GROW stands for Growing, Resilience, Optimum, and Wellness. GROW's primary goal is to create intentional learning opportunities that increase awareness of CAPS resources while fostering resiliency skills to support students' mental and emotional well-being in college. Harris, et al. (2022) mentions lowering the stigma in mental health and making a culture change for students seeking mental health services as essential for college as mental health is a heightened need. Through interactive programming, students engaged in self-reflection, skill-building, and meaningful discussions around mental health, resilience, and wellness. GROW provides practical tools that students incorporate into daily life, while also serving as a bridge to services, reducing stigma around help seeking. Research supports the effectiveness of resiliency-based interventions. Queens College implemented a resilience-focused approach yielding a 5% increase in resilience among participating students, especially marginalized groups (RodrÃguez-Planas et al., 2026). Ballard et al. (2023) reported that two-thirds of students sampled experienced reduction in loneliness regardless of this type of intervention. Launched during the Fall 2025, each month our team focused on incorporating the fundamental elements of GROW. Through psychoeducation and practical tools, students were able to learn skills that they can incorporate in their daily lives. GROW demystifies counseling services and reduces stigma associated with seeking mental health support in college. Through the collaboration from our CAPS team and campus partnerships, GROW reflects a commitment to student-centered programming and campus-wide wellness. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Higher Purpose Requires Broader Paradigms: Reclaiming Wellness in Decolonizing Campus Mental Health Outreach Presenter(s): Abstract: College and university counseling outreachers engage in continuous advocacy to place outreach at center stage amidst factors of escalating mental health severity (Bvunzawabaya & Rampe, 2024; Salimi et al., 2023; Wu et al., 2024), political policy reform (Ballard et al., 2024; Brown et al., 2024) and limitations of traditional psychological theories and treatment models. College and university counseling centers and associated clinical treatment models and outreach programming are based on knowledge systems, healing practices and wellness frameworks that do not prioritize marginalized lived experiences and realities. Western psychological models have colonized campus mental health outreach, often marginalizing Indigenous, and community-based approaches to wellbeing (Milller & Tran, 2024) that many students, particularly those from minoritized backgrounds (Bank, 2020a, b; Eger, Villagran & Burney, 2024; Funari et al., 2025; Helling & Chandler, 2021) rely upon for survival and resilience. In order to decolonize outreach, it is essential to address Eurocentric and westernized approaches that dismiss collectivist values and pathologize indigenous healing practices (Milller & Tran, 2024). By continuing to practice traditional models of wellness, college and university counseling center outreachers participate in perpetuating historical systems that continue to cause trauma and invisibility. This presentation will provide an overview of how oppressive systems inherent within traditional treatment models have shaped outreach structure, content and delivery. Participants will consider alternative approaches to outreach that embrace a decolonizing framework, such as engaging in collaborative programming, adopting a wellness model that embraces indigenous needs (Milller & Tran, 2024) and supporting a strength narrative to the marginalized experience. Special attention will be given to concerns related to conducting decolonized outreach in the current sociopolitical climate. Finally, self-care will be explored both within the campus community and the outreacher. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Inclusive Identity-Based Staffing Design: An Empathic Outreach Model for University Counseling Centers Presenter(s): Eric Holmes - Penn State Harrisburg Nahed Khalil - Penn State Harrisburg Davin Rowe - Penn State Harrisburg Reynold Joseph - Penn State Harrisburg Ashley Boles-Riley - Penn State Harrisburg Abstract: University counseling centers are increasingly tasked with engaging students whose mental health needs are shaped by intersecting identities, systemic inequities, and barriers to access. National data indicate that students from International, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and athletics-affiliated communities experience elevated distress and are less likely to engage in counseling services when care is perceived as culturally incongruent or inaccessible (Center for Collegiate Mental Health [CCMH], 2024; Edwin & Daniels, 2022). In response, this 90-minute interactive session presents an inclusive, empathic, identity-based staffing design that intentionally integrates counselor identities into outreach, engagement, and program development, aligning with AUCCCO's emphasis on innovative outreach, equity, and collaboration. This model reframes counselor identity as a structural outreach asset rather than an individual characteristic, emphasizing visible representation, shared leadership, and identity-aligned engagement across campus communities at one PWI's 4,600+ sized campus (Haase & Clark, in press). Our co-presenters, who themselves identify or specialize in International, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, Athletics-affiliated, and first-generation college students, will offer lived expertise and substantiate how ethically responsible identity-based staffing can be implemented while maintaining equitable workload distribution and essential counseling center obligations. Presenters will share their development processes, identity focused outreach programs, implementation strategies, and indicators of impact on outreach participation and campus partnerships. Grounded in contemporary research on inclusive counseling structures and mental health equity, this session will highlight how empathic staffing models reduce barriers to care, strengthen trust, and improve outreach effectiveness (Sakız & Jencius, 2024). Participants will engage in creative, skill-based activities including identity mapping, identity-based outreach design, and peer consultation to translate concepts into actionable outreach plans adaptable to diverse institutional contexts. This session moves beyond representation and toward a replicable empathic staffing model that transforms counselor identity into a sustainable, ethical equity-driven outreach strategy. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Let 'Em Cook: Relationships Taking Center Stage for Impactful Outreach Interventions Presenter(s): Deidre Weathersby - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center Abstract: University counseling centers are essential to promoting student wellness. The most critical role of counseling centers is that of a campus partner. Within counseling center settings, outreach is the essential service component for establishing trusting, respectful, and culturally responsive relationships within the campus community. This session explores how relationship-centered outreach efforts can serve as effective and sustainable strategies for increasing counseling center visibility, trust, and student engagement. Grounded in real-world experiences and practices, this presentation highlights how intentional relationship-building with students, faculty, staff, and campus partners can strengthen outreach efforts, produce timely and meaningful interventions and expand access to mental health supports. Participants will learn how authentic connections developed through presence, collaboration, and culturally humble practices can facilitate outreach across a variety of campus spaces, including classrooms, student organizations, residence halls, and informal settings. The session will examine key principles of relationship-based outreach, including meeting students where they are, honoring cultural identities and lived experiences, and leveraging partnerships to reduce barriers to care. Presenters will share concrete examples of outreach initiatives informed by relational approaches, as well as lessons learned and strategies for adapting these practices to different institutional contexts. Considering the nation's current sociopolitical climate, key relationships are essential to promote a sense of belonging and relative safety. By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify actionable strategies for incorporating relationship-centered practices into their outreach efforts, fostering meaningful connections, and promoting student wellness across campus communities. This session will also highlight the necessities of including student perspectives throughout structured relationship building processes yielding contemporary, creative and effective services. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Leveraging Health Promotion Partnerships for Campus Well-Being Presenter(s): Bini Sebastian - UC Berkeley Markie Silverman - University of Michigan Abstract: Clinical mental health outreach professionals are uniquely positioned for addressing the complex mental health needs of contemporary campus populations. Their dual capacity as both promoters of direct services and architects of strategic change enables them to actively shape their center's mission, influence governance structures, and foster sustainable cross-functional partnerships. By leveraging existing health promotion campus partners such as health and wellness centers, recreation centers, residential life, and academic departments counseling centers can de-centralize mental health support. This presentation will cover the strategic goals of building a comprehensive, resilient campus ecosystem where well-being is a shared responsibility, thereby significantly reducing the incidence and severity of crises and fostering a culture of holistic health. This presentation proposes a strategic paradigm shift towards preventive, ecosystem-level engagement, expanding the role of outreach professionals from program implementers to essential strategic architects. This approach moves beyond the limits of individual-focused therapy to embed mental wellness within the broader institutional environment. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Outreach Isn't Optional: Overcoming Barriers and Mobilizing Your Team Presenter(s): John Rigney - Nazareth University Michael Siembor - University of Rochester Abstract: Over the past decade, University and college communities and counseling centers are more attuned to the idea of counseling centers not solely existing for the delivery of clinical services (Goglithy et al., 2017). In fact, there has been a strong push in the field to reframe outreach as clinical work (Glass, 2020 & Golightly, 2017), notably due to counseling center staff bringing clinical and consultative expertise to their outreach and consultative efforts. However, counseling center staff, who are oftentimes overwhelmed by increasing student demand and pressure to squeeze in more therapy spaces into already packed schedules, have varying levels of buy-in to spending their already strained time providing outreach. Further, there are at times voices within University communities asserting that other offices on campus (e.g., health promotion, wellness center) should take on outreach while the counseling center should maintain their primary mission of clinical work. This presentation will explore how we address our own staffs' outreach buy-in and incentives as we navigate our various individual campus and counseling center cultures. We will open discussion with the audience to bring in their own challenges and successes addressing this issue. This presentation will examine how counseling centers can strengthen staff engagement in outreach by addressing internal barriers, clarifying incentives, and reinforcing the clinical value of this work. In addition, we will explore the common challenges faced by outreach coordinators in these efforts—including role ambiguity, limited resources, and competing institutional expectations—and identify effective strategies to mitigate these obstacles. We will open discussion with the audience to their own challenges and successes in navigating these competing demands and barriers. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Pay No Attention to That Person Behind the Curtain!: Revealing Outreach Sore Spots and Embracing New Solutions Presenter(s): Abstract: Do you ever dream of an invention that could increase the efficiency of some of your most time-consuming administrative outreach tasks? This presentation may help you awaken from your slumber into a world where your dream innovation exists. As professionals overseeing outreach among our communities of diverse needs and changing demands, we are in a constant state of multitasking. Many advances exist to assist the efficiency of our work. However, it can feel burdensome to determine whether a new resource is worth pursuing given the demands of time, money, and psychological investment involved in procuring, learning, and applying a novel solution. And if those demands alone don't tip your scale of decision fatigue, we are often required to justify and seek approval for the procurement of a new resource to higher levels of administration who may not fully comprehend the benefit of such an investment. In our line of work where we know that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," these bottlenecks can feel defeating. Taking into consideration the psychological demand of using a new resource or learning a new process, this presentation will highlight avenues for practical solutions to practical problems where outreach leaders often feel strained. Approaches to the justification and administrative approval processes will also be reviewed, including the use of data to tell your center's outreach story. Demonstrations will showcase examples of advancements and solutions to increase efficiencies across common outreach coordination sore spots. The hope is for you to leave this presentation feeling empowered to be creative, ask questions, seek solutions, and advocate for yourself, your center, and your community in new ways. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Reaching Students Through Their Interests: How D&D and Other Hobbies Make Mental Health Approachable Presenter(s): Christina Szuch - Ohio State University Abstract: A key component to college counseling centers' outreach efforts is to make all students feel welcome to approach the clinic for services. This presentation will describe examples of how two institutions, the University of Arkansas and Ohio State University, have created programming based around student hobbies and passions to draw in students including those who may be less likely to seek out traditional mental health services. The University of Arkansas offers a therapeutic tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) group, a growing intervention that is well-supported by research. The use of TTRPGs and adventure therapy techniques have proven a successful way to expand the counseling center's reach on campus. Ohio State University offers several drop-in workshops based around student hobbies, including TTRPGs, art, dance, and nature; demonstrating that these interventions can be used not only in clinical group settings but also translated to the outreach world. In addition to describing the logistics of developing these programs, presenters will share their personal experiences with facilitating a TTRPG group and workshop respectively; including describing challenges faced, sharing examples of student feedback, and reflecting on the variety of backgrounds represented among attendees. Finally, presenters will invite participants to dip their toes into the process of role-playing a character and working together to overcome a challenge in a fictional world. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Safe Messaging in Suicide Prevention Presenter(s): Abstract: HOW we talk about suicide matters. Research demonstrates that the way we discuss, report, and educate about suicide and mental health can unintentionally cause distress or increase risk in those who are vulnerable to crisis/suicide, while more intentional, action-oriented messaging can promote hope, safety, and stigma reduction. Many students (and also professionals) are unaware of safe messaging guidelines recommended by suicide prevention agencies and experts. Well-intentioned campus partners use imaging, language, or programming that can miss the mark. This presentation will guide UCC professionals towards language and imagery that adhere to safe messaging guidelines in crisis response, as well as ways to guide students, campus partners, and campus journalists when discussing mental health topics or providing campus programming Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Stories of Connection: Using Cross-Campus Partnerships to Increase Mental Health Visibility and Trust Presenter(s): Whitney Richardson - University of Cincinnati Counseling and Psychological Services Abstract: Mental health outreach in higher education is shifting from a counseling-center based model to a community-oriented approach. Previously the focus has been on information sharing and psychoeducation, outreach now functions as an intervention-focused service that supports students beyond the counseling center and equips them with practical strategies to promote health and well-being (Golightly et al., 2017). We will highlight how the University of Cincinnati Counseling and Psychological Services (UC CAPS) has expanded outreach as intervention by integrating mental health concepts and strategies into environments across campus (Harris et al., 2022). Through partnerships with support service departments, faculty, and staff, UC CAPS has utilized integrated outreach to promote culture change campus‑wide (Dowd, 2024). Evidence shows that embedding mental health and well‑being concepts into the systems students interact with daily increases students' sense of connection and belonging, supports academic performance, and reduces mental health stigma (Woodruff & Boyer, 2024). Using qualitative methods, this workshop examines staff narratives that illustrate embedded outreach across campus systems. Participants will explore themes such as trust-building, role clarity, and cultural responsiveness, then reflect on how these practices can be adapted within their own institutions. Designed for counseling professionals, student affairs staff, faculty, and campus partners, the session emphasizes practical, actionable strategies for strengthening collaboration and sustainable partnerships that support student well-being. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Swipe Less, Live More: Helping College Students Build Healthier Relationships with Their Smartphones Presenter(s): Abstract: The ever-evolving integration of technology into higher education has resulted in uncertain mental health impacts and, in extreme cases, addiction to smartphones and other "smart" devices. Inspired by Jonathon Haidt's The Anxious Generation and Catherine Price's How to Break Up with Your Phone, Seton Hall University Counseling and Psychological Services has developed a "Screentime Management" protocol to assist students in managing their screentime. This protocol can be delivered to students in an individual, group, or workshop format to promote healthier relationships with smartphones and other technology. This program will cover the theoretical background of the protocol, review its success within a counseling center setting, and foster discussion amongst attendees as to how they can implement the protocol in their unique settings. Designed to be interactive, the program will encourage attendees to participate in certain steps of the protocol to learn experientially. This program is designed not only to be helpful for mental health professionals and professionals working in student-facing roles, but for anyone interested in learning how to manage their own screentime. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: The Evolving Landscape of Outreach: Navigating the Wilderness with a Data-Driven Approach Presenter(s): Carrie Finkill - University of Illinois Joni Sivey - Ohio State University Teresa Michaelson - Rollins College Abstract: University and college counseling centers are experiencing unprecedented challenges and a rapid shift in the ways that we develop and provide outreach. With these challenges and changes come opportunities for collaboration and innovative solutions. The AUCCCO Research and Assessment Team conducts periodic surveys to identify emerging trends, evaluate current needs, and provide an opportunity for collaborative problem-solving across institutions. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data from recent surveys, this workshop will highlight current challenges, including the rise of artificial intelligence, institutional restructuring, increased personal stress, and changes to state and federal policy in higher education. Survey data shows that outreach professionals are feeling the personal impact of these challenges and have identified priority areas for professional development and support. This workshop seeks to respond to these pressing needs by sharing timely, adaptable, and creative solutions that are being implemented by outreach professionals at institutions nationwide. The outreach strategies shared in this workshop were developed in direct response to priorities and themes emerging from the survey data, which highlighted common challenges across institutions. Weaving together peer-generated solutions to these shared needs, this workshop will provide actionable and adaptable recommendations to address some of the most pressing challenges facing outreach professionals today. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: The Experiential Campus: Bringing Mental Health Skills to Life Through Interactive Outreach Presenter(s): Abstract: As student mental health needs rise and counseling centers face growing demand, outreach can no longer play a supporting role it must take center stage. Traditional tabling, presentations, and events often focus on information and referrals rather than skill-building, limiting their preventive impact. This session reimagines outreach as a dynamic, experiential learning performance grounded in Brooks-Harris's Workshops: Designing and Facilitating Experiential Learning and public mental health prevention framework where even brief, interactive encounters become opportunities for early intervention, trust-building, and campus culture change. Participants will see how the experiential learning cycle engagement, reflection, meaning-making, and application can transform everyday outreach into memorable, skills-focused experiences. Students don't just hear about coping strategies; they practice them, reflect, and leave ready to apply them in real life. As an upstream prevention strategy, experiential outreach reduces stigma, builds trust, and promotes equity. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for elevating outreach professionals as strategic leaders shaping campus mental health culture. Learning Objectives:
Session Title: Trust, Safety, and Belonging: Supporting International Students Amid Political Uncertainty Presenter(s): Abstract: Trust, Safety, and Belonging: Supporting International Students Amid Political Uncertainty International students are navigating unprecedented levels of uncertainty due to shifting immigration policies, global political tensions, and heightened public scrutiny. These conditions can intensify fear of deportation, reluctance to seek support, and stigma around mental health ultimately undermining academic engagement, well-being, and belonging. This session presents a comprehensive, trust-centered framework for institutions seeking to support international students during politically unstable periods. Drawing on research in cross-cultural mental health, trauma-informed care, and student development theory, this presentation outlines strategies for cultivating psychological safety and transparent communication. Participants will explore: (1) how political uncertainty shapes international student experiences. (2) common barriers to accessing mental-health and wellness services, including cultural stigma and confidentiality concerns. (3) evidence-based outreach practices that foster trust and reduce fear. The session highlights practical interventions such as coordinated, non-alarming immigration updates; culturally responsive counseling services; anonymous Q&A channels; community-building initiatives; and faculty/staff training in sensitive communication. Case examples illustrate how campuses can shift from reactive, compliance-driven approaches to proactive, relationship-centered support that validates students lived experiences. Attendees will leave with concrete tools, adaptable program models, and implementation guides to strengthen trust with international students on their campuses. By centering safety, clarity, and compassion, institutions can create environments where international students feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive regardless of political context. Learning Objectives:
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