Organization: College Beyond

Location: New Orleans, LA

Programming Summary

College Beyond’s approach to student support focuses on two main strategies: trauma-informed coaching and microgrant funding. The staff is trained to deliver trauma-informed coaching to address students’ previous and current life experiences so that they have the support needed to progress through college. They employ social work interns for extra support and case management to further meet students’ needs.

The microgrants assist with the hidden costs associated with attending college, such as food and transportation costs, but which also includes using the funds for in-person mental health help costs to receive local in-person therapy. A partnership with Kresge provides students with access to free online counseling through the META app. College Beyond also built both mental wellness programming and environmental support including art therapy, stress-relief activities, and providing students with a student lounge where they can decompress and recharge in a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment. They also provide healthy snacks and water to their students in their student lounge.

Demographics

The only eligibility criterion for College Beyond is need. College Beyond is designed for an underserved middle majority of college students: capable youth who have earned admission to college but generally are not eligible for top merit-based financial aid or selective college persistence programs. College Beyond’s 2022-23 cohort of students are 85% people of color, 87% are first-generation graduates, and 98% Pell Grant recipients.

Identifying Programmatic Needs

As part of an ECMC Foundation grant-funded project administered by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), “Supporting the Whole Student Through Mental Health and Wellbeing,” each of the six organizations involved conducted a needs assessment with the help of a consultant from The JED Foundation. The needs assessment focused on each program’s mental health and wellness resources, student wellness challenges, and needs. The results of the assessments were used to develop a plan to implement a set of key activities that would help them meet their respective needs.

The College Beyond team had an influx of students expressing a mental health crisis during the 2021-22 school year. College Beyond needed and wanted more training on how to approach these crises. The student-facing staff had mental health first aid training, but it was not a clinical model. They directly marked a need for training for the entire team that was applicable across experience and education levels.

The increase in crises also marked the realization that College Beyond did not have a crisis response policy. They desired to develop one that established prevention, response, and follow-up instructions that could inform staff across expertise and external professional connections.

Implementation of Strategies and Activities

Throughout the year, College Beyond created and instituted their crisis intervention plan, which was utilized throughout the year by their coaches. They partnered with Mercy Family Services, which conducted a weekly grief group with the students. They also distributed microgrants to students who were facing unexpected financial hardships.

College Beyond reports that 25% of their students used College Beyond’s mutual aid and food pantry. The continuous access to the food pantry made it a highly used resource.

College Beyond had two social work interns, from Tulane University and Louisiana State University, who supported the freshmen students with individual coaching, group workshops, and community circles. There were six community circles held over the implementation year.

Outcomes and Impact

• Students were awarded over $40,000 in micro-grant funding to spend on individual counseling services, food, and gas for transportation to and from school.
• They successfully drafted a crisis response policy and subsequently trained coaches. The policy was used throughout the year during crisis interventions.
• The entire staff received mental health first aid certificates after completing training.

According to College Beyond, the project gave students access to a wider range of resources overall. Students were able to access and participate in telehealth sessions, grief groups, and community circles. Additionally, they were supported by social work interns with everything from counseling to helping to access SNAP benefits (also known as food stamps).

College Beyond reports that the project has allowed them to be more strategic and intentional regarding their mental health support systems. They have also built partnerships with community partners who focus on mental health to better address student needs.

While there are many wins mentioned throughout this profile, College Beyond reports there is still work to be done. They are focused on student buy-in to the importance of mental health support and the impact that it can have on their day-to-day lives. There is some normalizing that must happen.  College Beyond hopes to normalize the utility of mental health resources and amplify the stories of the students who have been positively impacted by this project.