Depression on College Campuses Conference to Focus on the Regeneration of Mental Health Work in COVID-19 Era

The annual conference features virtual sessions on racial equity, suicide prevention, resilience and other urgent topics.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Leaders in student mental health will come together online on March 9-10 as the Eisenberg Family Depression Center hosts the 19th annual Depression on College Campuses Conference (DoCC).

The virtual conference will explore the regeneration of mental health work on college campuses in the era of COVID-19. Expert guest speakers will discuss new research findings, model programs, and innovative strategies that demonstrate how colleges and universities are continuing to adapt. DoCC 2022 will create a dedicated space to acknowledge and reflect on recent challenges as we reimagine how student wellness is holistically and equitably supported on campuses across our nation.

With the onset and prolonged pandemic, colleges and universities were forced to make enormous adjustments to the way they provided academic and health services. DoCC speakers and attendees will examine the lessons learned from conceptual framework and concrete changes related to virtual and hybrid learning models. The conference will include a panel discussion, workshops, and concurrent sessions, and two keynote presentations. See the event schedule here.

Featured presentations include:

  • Scaling Hybrid Care to Better Support Minoritized Students: Addressing Mental Health Equity Gaps on Campus;
  • Bridging Gaps: Establishing Mental Health Supports for Diverse Populations;
  • Normalizing First-Year Challenges as Depression Prevention: A Brief, Peer-led Social Belonging Intervention to Benefit BIPOC and First-Generation College Students;
  • Renewed Understandings of College Student Peer Support in the Era of COVID-19;
  • Stress, Genetics, and Mood: Impact of COVID-19 on College Freshman
Christine Yu Moutier, M.D.

The opening keynote will cover “Strategies for Preventing Suicide During COVID and Beyond: Focus on Youth & Young Adults, ” which will be presented by Christine Yu Moutier, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Moutier’s talk will address the increasing rate of suicide among adolescents and young adults, and how the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism further underscored the urgent need for colleges and universities, as well as national leadership, to engage in a sustained, coordinated and evidence-based action plan to reduce suicide risk.

Our 2022 conference is dedicated to not only reflecting on recent changes–but reimagining our path forward in providing students with equitable and holistic mental health support,” said Stephanie Salazar, M.P.H., manager for outreach and education at the Eisenberg Family Depression Center and DoCC conference lead. “We invite social workers, health education specialists, student advisors, and students themselves to attend the conference. Everyone brings an important perspective to help improve our campuses during such a critical time for students.”

Register today at: depressioncenter.org/docc

Registration is FREE for students from any campus, and online pre-registration is still required. The registration fee for non-students is $75.