Chi Psi Fraternity is partnering with Talkspace and Kognito to provide support and resources for the mental well-being of its members at all 32 academic institutions it currently serves. The initiative, called “Chi Psi Cares,” will establish three pillars allowing New Members, Brothers, and alumni to use various services to seek assistance for their individual needs.
Talkspace is an online therapy service that assesses individuals using the program, matches them with a licensed therapist, and allows for digital conversations using most any device. As part of the Chi Psi Cares initiative, the Fraternity will be offering up to three months of online therapy through Talkspace for its Brothers. This is designed as a way for young men to discreetly handle personal, academic, and professional issues that may be negatively affecting their mental health. This pillar of the Chi Psi Cares program is labeled “Help Yourself.”
Kognito is a digital learning platform that will be used to train undergraduates to respond to difficult situations, requests, and conflicts. The program will be required for all undergraduate Chi Psi Brothers this year. This will increase and improve knowledge, confidence, and willingness of students to report and respond to situations in which someone they know may need help. This pillar of the Chi Psi Cares program is called “Help Your Brothers.”
Lastly, the Chi Psi Central Office will continue to offer comprehensive services dedicated to its members’ well-being. Chi Psi maintains a 1:3 staff-to-Alpha ratio, employs consultants who check in on each campus throughout the year, administers an ongoing self-assessment program using face-to-face interviews to stay abreast of local trends and operations, and has utilized speaker Colleen Coffey from Active Minds’ Speaker Bureau for some of the Fraternity’s leadership and training events. Brothers, alumni and parents can report concerns about hazing through the Anti-Hazing Hotline. They can also contact the Chi Psi Central Office anonymously by email or phone (615-736-2520) at any time. As the final pillar of the Chi Psi Cares program, this ongoing support system is known as “Help Others.”
College can be a difficult time, beset by high expectations from professors, peers, family, and more. It is often a student’s first long tenure on his own, and social aspects of the experience can be rewarding, but also overwhelming. The mental health of our undergraduates is a priority at Chi Psi, and we never condone activities that interfere with their well-being. Chi Psi takes a strong stance against hazing, assault, hate, etc. You can read more about Chi Psi’s policies at http://www.chipsi.org.
