Dear Members of the Harvard Community,
The beginning of a new semester can be both an exciting and stressful time as we navigate new courses, pursue new work initiatives, abandon old routines, and take up new ones. Meanwhile, life outside of academics and work continue. We write to you now to provide information on resources and programs to help you prioritize your wellbeing.
In the fall, the University launched the We’re All Human campaign, aimed at fostering a culture that prioritizes personal wellbeing and mental health. The campaign originated in the recommendations of the Task Force on Managing Student Mental Health, but its implications extend well beyond students. We allneed to prioritize our personal wellbeing and mental health, whether we are students, staff, faculty, or other academic personnel at Harvard. Now is a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of self-care and support for one another.
As you may have seen recently, throughout campus we've placed We’re All Humanposters, displays and other materials with a QR code to access information on resources and opportunities available to our community.
For Students:
- The Mental Health and Wellbeing Online Learning Module equips students with information and tips on ways to support individual wellbeing, where to seek help when needed, and how to help a friend in need.
- Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provides direct support. One example of the resources we provide is the recently launched TimelyCare virtual platform, which offers each student up to 12 telehealth therapy sessions per academic year.
- The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion offers workshops and other services to nurture individual and collective wellbeing.
- The Student Wellbeing at Harvard website offers additional resources and opportunities to help students prioritize and expand wellbeing, engage in the campus community, and find support when needed.
For Employees, including Faculty, Staff and Academic Personnel:
- The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free, confidential help for all Harvard employees and adult members of their households. Among many other services, the EAP provides 24/7 support for any emotional issue by a counselor who is experienced in crisis intervention and can help you or offer guidance to enable you to assist someone else.
- Harvard’s Office of Work/Life offers an array of resources for all employees through free and subsidized programs including mindfulness courses and self-directed practice tools. It also offers dependent care support for caregivers for children, elders and other adults.
- For faculty and staff working with students, the At-Risk Mental Health for Faculty and Staff Learning Module shares a variety of tools and resources to support students who may be experiencing mental health crises. Those tools can be useful in supporting anyone in the community.
- The Student Wellbeing at Harvard website also includes information on additional resources, including a Crimson Folder for each School with information on community-specific resources to assist faculty, staff, postdocs, teaching fellows, and teaching assistants in identifying and helping students in distress.
Please take time to familiarize yourself with these programs and resources now so that you know how to access them when needed. Harvard is committed to the mental health of every member of our community and promoting a culture in which wellbeing comes first.
Sincerely,
Alan M. Garber
Provost
Meredith Weenick
Executive Vice President