Office of Student Life
Counseling and Consultation Service

Mental Health Resources

Students experience a wide variety of concerns during their time at college. At The Ohio State University there are many resources available to support positive mental health. In fact, there is something available 24/7. Below you will find resources available to meet mild, moderate, and severe concerns. As always, if you are having difficulty identifying the right resource, schedule a phone consultation with a Counseling and Consultation Service clinician to get help with identifying the most helpful resource for your needs.

Mild Concerns

Mild concerns can be related to feeling behind in your schoolwork, occasionally missing class, feeling down or overwhelmed, problems with procrastination, test anxiety, adjusting to a new environment or trouble making friends.

These concerns are all worth attention and finding skills and strategies to address them are luckily reasonably straightforward. So, we have selected grouped together resources that are a great fit for these common concerns that either on-demand or require little wait at all!

Resources Available

  • Mental Health Strategies Series – A series of short videos focused on skills and strategies for improving mental health.
  • Let’s Talk – Our informal, drop-in mental health consultations on a first-come, first-served basis. These are 15-20 minute confidential problem solving sessions with a CCS counselor
  • Dennis Learning Center – A center through the College of Education and Human Ecology that focuses on study skills, coaching and support for academic success, including resources to address Test Anxiety.
  • Buckeye Careers – This Student Life department offers holistic career counseling to meet each student's unique needs, including guidance on major or career direction, assistance with a job search and help addressing any personal barriers preventing students from achieving their goals. 
  • Ohio State: Wellness App – A new tool to support student mental health and well-being on campus with help to find resources, set goals, build healthy habits and connect to support on campus.
  • Wellness Coaching – A free service through Student Life’s Student Wellness Center that provides opportunities for personal development, focusing on your strengths and using the Ten Dimensions of Wellness model as a framework for generating goals that are meaningful for you.
  • Drop-In Workshops - Drop-In Workshops are facilitated classroom style. Maximize your potential to thrive by learning how to manage stress, emotions, and thoughts. 
  • Emotional Fitness – Tips and skills for mental health.
  • Student Life Recreational Sports – Recreational Sports offers members of The Ohio State University community an extraordinary experience to live active and meaningful lives while on-campus.
  • Psych Bytes Podcast – A wide range of information pertaining to mental health topics, commonly asked questions, available resources, and general psycho-education that centers on the college demographic.
  • Welltrack - Welltrack Boost is a free resource that is available to all Ohio State students.

Moderate Concerns

When your self-care strategies are not working and you need ongoing support, it may be time to seek professional help. This may mean that you are having serious concerns with academics or experiencing problems with your mood or stress level that are getting in the way of life. You may be having thoughts of worthlessness, worry or panic that you cannot control, or you may be using substances or food in ways that do not feel right. Significant problems in your relationships or having experienced traumatic events are reasons to reach out as well.

Counselors are specialists in treating mental health concerns. Similar to other health specialists, depending on availability it may take a few weeks to start meeting with a therapist regularly. During this time, we recommend continuing to use resources and strategies from the list above. Depending on your needs, you may work with one of the many places listed below, who provide treatment on and off campus.

Resources Available

  • Phone Screening with CCS – Scheduling a phone screening with a CCS counselor is the first step to scheduling an appointment for individual counseling and other forms of treatment. The screening is a 10-15 minute conversation with a counselor to identify the best way to address your concerns.
  • Psychological Services Center - The Psychological Services Center (PSC) provides evidence-based psychological treatments for a range of issues, including depression, anxiety, substance use, coping with chronic medical conditions, PTSD, OCD and personality disorders.
  • Ohio State Couple and Family Therapy Clinic – This clinic provides therapy to couples, individuals, children and adolescents.
  • Ohio State Harding Hospital – The Harding Hospital provides the most comprehensive mental and behavioral healthcare services for adults, older adults, children and adolescents in central Ohio.
  • Behavioral Health Urgent Care – To close gaps in the continuum of care for people requiring behavioral health services, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has initiated a Behavioral Health Urgent Care Program. The Urgent Care Program provides that bridge to the next appointment with an ongoing provider in the community with phone counseling, video visits, and medication adjustments or refills.
  • Community Provider Database – You can search and find providers based on problem area, specialty, insurance accepted and distance from campus.
  • Wilce Student Health Center – Student Life’s Student Health Services at the Wilce Student Health Center provides accessible, high-quality health services to support academic success and co-curricular engagement.
  • Student Life Student Advocacy – The Student Advocacy Center is committed to helping students navigate Ohio State's structure and to empower students to overcome obstacles to their growth both inside and outside the classroom. 
  • Student Life Disability Services – Disability Services is available to consult with students on a one-to-one basis to review academic accommodations based on concerns including mental health, discuss concerns with classes or instructors and refer students to additional campus and community resources.
  • UWill: Provides free immediate access to teletherapy.

Severe Concerns

If you are in immediate need to speak with someone or if your need is urgent, there is always support available. Severe concerns are related to dangerous and/or traumatic experiences. They may involve assault and violence, thoughts of suicide, excessive substance use, inability to take care of one’s self, hallucinations, delusions or losing the ability to communicate.

Need Immediate Assistance?

Immediate Assistance

  • Call CCS - The office has service available 24/7 for students in crisis and who need immediate assistance. Call 614-292-5766 and request an urgent appointment, if it’s after hours, press 2.
  • Go to the Emergency Room – The Emergency Room at the Ohio State University Hospital is located at 410 West 10th Avenue Columbus, OH 43210.
  • Call 988 – The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
  • Call 911 – If you are on campus, this will direct you to the Ohio State University Police Division, if you are off-campus this will direct you to the Columbus Police Department.
  • NetCare Access - Netcare Access provides 24-hour crisis support to all residents of Franklin County, 365 days per year.