University of the Cumberlands Prioritizes Mental Health with Expansion of Student Resources

Completing a degree in higher education is an incredible accomplishment that, in most cases, is not met without challenges – academically, socially and emotionally. While every student’s collegiate journey is different, University of the Cumberlands is committed to providing a wide breadth of services that meets the needs of each and every student on campus.

As part of that commitment, University of the Cumberlands has partnered with TimelyCare, higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being provider, to offer all enrolled students free and equitable access to mental health support and basic needs assistance. The partnership is an extension of campus health and counseling center resources, with a goal of improving student well-being, engagement and retention.

The need for 24/7 access to high-quality care has never been more important. According to a report by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation, 69% of students in bachelor’s degree programs who considered dropping out cited emotional stress as their reason. 

Through TimelyCare on their phone or other device, University of the Cumberlands students can now select from a wide-ranging menu of virtual care options from licensed counselors in all 50 states – at no cost and without the barrier of traditional insurance – including:

• On-demand mental health and emotional support (TalkNow)
• Appointment-based mental health counseling (up to 6 sessions each academic year)
• Health coaching
• Basic Needs assistance
• Care navigation
• Peer support community
• Digital self-care content

Additionally, faculty and staff have access to support that empowers them to guide students to TimelyCare resources to help students achieve a sense of well-being, live healthier lifestyles and improve their mental health.

“We’re excited to partner with TimelyCare to offer comprehensive behavioral health services to students and employees in all 50 states,” said Gina Bowlin, director of behavioral health at Cumberlands. “The platform’s ease of use, convenience, and immediate access to care make it easier than ever for our students and employees to find support when they need it.”

The partnership with TimelyCare allows University of the Cumberlands to deliver a hybrid model of care in collaboration with on-campus resources. Benefits to students include:

• Convenient 24/7 care – Physical and mental health issues often present themselves outside regular business hours, and TimelyCare makes seeking support or treatment as easy and convenient as making a video or phone call. Nationally, half of mental health care visits through TimelyCare occur after regular business hours or on weekends.
• Reduced wait times – Many campus counseling centers often have a 2-3 week wait time for appointments, whereas students can typically connect with a TimelyCare provider in less than 5 minutes.
• Diverse provider network – TimelyCare’s diverse and culturally responsive provider network reflects and is proud to serve students who embody diversity in race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, age, religion and worldview, language, health, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic and immigration status, and more. Students scheduling services can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available.

• Peace of mind – TimelyCare is a safe, secure, URAC-accredited and HIPAA-compliant platform that follows campus-specific protocols to facilitate care coordination and follow-up to ensure continuity of care. Integrations with leading learning management systems ensure students have even more on-ramps to in-the-moment support whenever they need it.

Mental health directly impacts student retention and academic performance. TimelyCare is proven to support better outcomes, including:

Clinically significant change by students’ third scheduled counseling or psychiatry visit for those who entered care with severe depression or anxiety symptoms.

Swift and significant impact for those students with clinical symptoms, dropping a severity ranking (e.g. moderate to mild) by their third scheduled counseling visit.

Nine out of 10 students say they would recommend TimelyCare’s services.

“With more than seven out of 10 students reporting that they experience mental health challenges  such as stress, anxiety or depression, expanded access to virtual health and well-being interventions like TimelyCare has never been more important,” said Luke Hejl, CEO and co-founder of TimelyCare. “Ultimately, supporting students, educators, and staff means providing access to care whenever and wherever they need it.”

About TimelyCare

TimelyCare is the most trusted virtual health and well-being solution for learning communities, offering personalized, clinically proven care that fosters student success and delivers life-changing outcomes. Through a seamless, easy-to-access platform, TimelyCare provides a comprehensive range of services—including a crisis line, mental health counseling, on-demand emotional support, medical care, psychiatric care, health coaching, success coaching, basic needs assistance, faculty and staff guidance, peer support, and self-guided wellness tools. In partnership with more than 400 campus wellness teams, TimelyCare ensures that millions of students have direct, anytime access to high-quality care. Recognized as a Princeton Review Top 5 Need to Know Organization for Mental Health Awareness, TimelyCare drives measurable improvements in depression and anxiety, empowering students on their wellness journey and supporting healthier learning environments.