Due to increased mental health issues among Southeast students, Student Issues, a department within SGA, will host an inaugural Mental Health Day event on Dec. 3.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the third floor of the University Center. Students have an opportunity to stop by to participate in a variety of activities and learn more about mental health.

President of Student Issues Justin Tuschhoff said the goal of the event is to help promote a positive conversation about mental health issues not only at Southeast but across the nation.

“It’s really grown to be a nationwide issue, the shortage of resources for mental health services,” Tuschhoff said. “This is an issue schools across the nation are facing, and Southeast is no exception.”

He said the event will be the first of many concerning mental health that will be seen on campus. Tuschhoff said he and his committee want to promote a healthy environment for students.

“We want to bring a highlight to the fact that this university could be doing things to help its students and help promote positive mental culture on campus,” Tuschhoff said.

Counseling and Disability Services has been on a waitlist since the start of the fall semester. The program's director Janice Ruesler said there is always a high demand for counseling services, and her staff typically sees a substantial increase in the need for services at the beginning, middle and end of each semester.

“Typically, most students at the university are coming in for anxiety and depression,” Ruesler said. “There has been a large increase in students at college-age experiencing mental health issues. Last year, we served approximately 1,400 students through Counseling and Disability Services.”

For more information regarding mental health, or to schedule an appointment with Counseling and Disability Services, visit https://semo.edu/ucs.