NEW ORLEANS — Through a first-of-its-kind partnership with TimelyCare—higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being provider—the Sun Belt Conference will offer its student-athletes expanded access to mental health resources.
Through this partnership, Sun Belt student-athletes will have access to on-demand, 24/7 mental health resources and scheduled virtual counseling appointments, supplementing the existing network of care available on each of the conference’s 14 campuses. These services will be provided at no cost to the student-athlete and without the barrier of traditional insurance.
“Today’s student-athletes face an increasing number of stressors that may impact their mental health and well-being,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill. “This groundbreaking conference-wide partnership with TimelyCare will reduce the barriers to accessing mental health resources for our student-athletes by meeting them where they are and supplementing the existing network of care provided by our 14 member institutions.”
According to a TimelyCare survey of 1,200 college and university students, 70 percent of student-athletes nationwide are experiencing mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression—a greater rate than that of their non-athlete peers.
Given the time demands of their practice, game and travel schedules, student-athletes are more likely than their non-athlete peers to use a virtual care option like a telehealth app.
“Student-athletes are under intense pressure to perform in their sport and in the classroom. With their busy schedules and frequent travel, they need equitable, on-demand access to mental health care anytime, anywhere,” said Luke Hejl, TimelyCare CEO and co-founder. “The Sun Belt Conference and TimelyCare partnership creates a new playbook for prioritizing the health and well-being of student-athletes and providing a competitive edge in academics, athletics and all aspects of their lives.”
TimelyCare currently serves more than 300 universities and over 2 million students nationwide, including campus-wide partnerships at Sun Belt Conference member institutions Coastal Carolina University, James Madison University and Texas State University.
Seventy-five percent of college and university students who accessed virtual mental health and well-being interventions through TimelyCare reported mental health improvement, including 100 percent of students who presented as a potential suicide risk.
About TimelyCare
TimelyCare is higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being provider, serving more than two million students at 300 campuses nationwide. Founded in 2017, TimelyCare pioneered the first telehealth solution built exclusively for higher education, with a mission to improve the health and well-being of college students by making virtual medical and mental health care accessible anytime, anywhere. Today its comprehensive suite of services – including mental health counseling, on-demand emotional support, medical care, psychiatric care, health coaching, basic needs assistance, faculty and staff guidance, peer support and self-guided wellness tools – expands the breadth of campus resources and empowers student success.