To the Temple Community, 

The mental health and wellness of our university community is at the center of our care and commitment to each other, which is why we have made it a top priority. At the request of President Wingard, a dedicated group of faculty, staff and students have been working toward a shared goal to create a campus culture that better supports mental health and wellness. After research and assessment, the Task Force on Mental Health and Wellness developed thoughtful recommendations, organized into three primary areas of focus: culture and climate, services and support, and administration. With these recommendations at top of mind, we are moving forward with changes and strategies that will incorporate a culture of wellness into the fabric of our community. 

At the core of the Task Force’s recommendations are the structure and resources of our mental health and wellness support. To that end, we are making several immediate changes. First, we have established a new Health and Well-being Division, which will provide a clear point of entry for the broad health and wellness resources at Temple and will be led by Mark Denys, in a new role of associate vice provost for health and well-being. This Division will bring together Student and Employee Health Services, Tuttleman Counseling Services, and the Wellness Resource Center under the same organizational structure to improve communication, create a more integrated approach, and most importantly improve the Temple community’s overall experience when seeking education or care around health and wellness. Second, the university is dedicating substantial additional resources to our community’s health and wellness. The Health and Well-being Division's budget will be increased by $1 million dollars annually to support the expansion of mental health services for Temple students through hiring additional counselors, growing service delivery options and supporting and retaining current counselors. Third, we will develop, for the first time, a dedicated location for counseling at the Health Sciences Campus. Fourth, the Wellness Resource Center will expand its services and programs to include employees, as well as students. 

As we build on the progress and improvements that have recently occurred, which include initial counseling appointments for students within 24-48 hours of the initial request, flexible hours and hybrid appointment options, this marks the beginning of a new chapter in our university’s response to mental health and wellness. We invite you to learn more about these important new initiatives that will help our community to thrive. 

I want to thank President Wingard for supporting this important work and prioritizing the health and wellness of our community. I am also very grateful to the Task Force on Mental Health and Wellness and thank them for their dedicated and critical work to improve care and education for our community. 

Sincerely, 

Gregory N. Mandel

Provost and Laura H. Carnell Professor of Law