According to the CDC, 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness within a given year; 1 in 25 Americans currently live with a serious mental illness (such as bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, etc.). This has alarmingly increased within the last decade in the United States and is said to continue to grow. The University of North Dakota and the Greater Grand Forks area has provided numerous resources to support students if mental illness is something that affects their life.  

Student Health Services at UND provides mental health in partnership with the University Counseling Center. Student Health has a variety of team members, including a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and primary care provider, that can help meet the needs of a variety of individuals. The diversity that the team brings allows for both behavioral and medication management for the evaluation and intervention of conditions like eating disorders, depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, OCD, etc. 

Mentioned previously, Student Health Services consistently partners with the University Counseling Center (UCC). Students can receive counseling services (including emergency counseling), groups/workshops, personal evaluations, and substance use services. As of January 2021, individuals can schedule appointments online through the UND Health Portal. Currently, services are provided through in person sessions and telemedicine. UND students are eligible for UCC services if they are enrolled in the current semester (Spring, 2022).  

UCC has seven groups/workshops that are being implemented during the Spring 2022 semester. The groups include Grounding & Self-Soothing, Managing Stress & Anxiety, Creating Healthy Relationships, Assertive Communication Workshop, RA (Resident Assistant) Support Group, AOD Support, and BIPOC Group. These groups typically meet once a month for an hour. You are not “committed” to attend all sessions and can try other groups. They are currently being conducted virtually over Zoom. Links to these groups can be found on the UND Events Calendar at UND.edu/ucc.  

UCC also provides the “UND Wellbeing App.” This comprehensive app provides a “wide range of tools, resources and strategies to help implement healthy habits, improve wellbeing, and monitor progress.” It has UND specific information that will connect you to appropriate resources and services around the Grand Forks/UND community. The app can be downloaded through the Apple App Store.  

Besides UND specific resources, there are several community services that students can take advantage of. One of these services is the Northern Prairie Community Clinic. They offer both mental health and communication services to the Greater Grand Forks Community (which includes UND’s campus). Northern Prairie Community Clinic offers assessments/testing for psychodiagnostics (ADHD, personality, depression, anxiety, anger/conduct), psychoeducational (learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities), and psychoneurological (cognitive abilities or autism) conditions. Beyond assessments, interventions include counseling, psychotherapy, anger management training, group therapy, etc. Although this service is not free to UND students, there are many payment options (including reduced service rates based on income), which may provide discounted services to students. Northern Prairie is currently offering both in person and telehealth services; however, it is conveniently located on UND’s campus in Columbia Hall.  

The growing number of incidences of mental illness have subsequentially increased the rate of suicide within the United States; North Dakota currently ranks 17th in the nation with suicide rates (although being one of the smallest states in population). TEARS (Together we Educate About the Realities of Suicide) program (now an affiliate of Altru Health System) is a support group for individuals who have lost a family member or friend to suicide. A UND graduate student is currently working on making this group more accessible to those who are unable to make it to the group each month. This group, which has traditionally met in person once a month, is shifting to offer a virtual option. The first virtual session is to be held on Tuesday, February 22nd. To learn more about the program, click here.  

There are over 52.9 million people within the U.S. that are currently struggling with a mental illness, and that number will only be growing within the coming years. Mental health is a part of overall wellness for individuals and understanding the different resources in the community (both UND specific and not), will help better maintain it. 

Dominique Menard is a Dakota Student News Editor. She can be reached at [email protected]