A group dedicated to mental health on UNC campus was founded in 2019 as the UNC Mental Health Coalition. However, it was disbanded in 2021 due to leadership changes during the pandemic. Despite this setback, junior students Harini Somanchi and Neha Saggi revived the coalition in January of this year. As co-directors of the department of student wellness and safety in the Undergraduate Executive Branch, they have been working closely with UNC Student Wellness to bring together student leaders from various identity-based and mental health-focused organizations on campus.
The coalition currently represents approximately 15 organizations, including the Carolina Covenant Student Advisory Council, the National Alliance on Mental Illness On Campus, and the Minority Student Caucus. The group serves as a collaborative body for individuals interested in mental health on campus to streamline their efforts.
The coalition recently held its first meeting as a new group, where representatives heard from UNC’s Counseling and Psychological Services Director Avery Cook about myths surrounding CAPS and mental health resources at UNC. Emily Hernandez, a UNC junior and resilience outreach intern for Healthy Heels, indicated that there was positive feedback from coalition members following the meeting.
Looking ahead, the representatives are planning a social media campaign to disseminate information shared during the meeting. This includes informing others that CAPS offers brief therapy appointments and walk-in care services. Somanchi emphasized the importance of spreading this information to organizations across campus and promoting mental health resources among students.
Overall, Somanchi and Saggi’s work is vital in ensuring that students have access to mental health resources on campus, especially during challenging times like these.
As co-directors of student wellness and safety in the Undergraduate Executive Branch at UNC, Harini Somanchi (left)
