UW Campus Connections Program Brings Mental Health Services to At-Risk Youth

The University of Wyoming Department of Psychology has launched a new program called Campus Connections that provides mental health services for at-risk youth in the Laramie community.

The program partnered with Albany County School District 1 and the state Department of Family Services to reduce barriers for youth to access evidence-based mental health services through the UW Psychology Center, which provides affordable, quality mental health care to the campus community and area residents.

Clinical psychology graduate students, supervised by licensed UW psychology faculty members, provide integrated therapy services for youth and families, and undergraduate students serve as mentors while earning course credit.

Anne Stevens, a UW clinical assistant professor of psychology, and Tara Clapp, an academic professional lecturer for psychology, lead the program.

"We are thrilled to launch Campus Connections at the UW Psychology Center," Stevens says. "The program emphasizes positive youth development through one-on-one mentoring with undergraduate students, after-school programming, trauma-informed therapy with clinical psychology graduate students and parenting support."

Campus Connections pairs undergraduate students with at-risk youth (11-18 years old) in one-on-one mentoring relationships, and these pairs are embedded in an on-campus community of other mentoring pairs in which youth gain friendships, academic support and exposure to prosocial activities.

With the launch of the program, youth who are being mentored have goals to improve school attendance, reduce substance use, engage in fewer behavioral problems and enhance their well-being.

"We have partnered with Albany County School District 1 and the Department of Family Services to provide the program free of charge for youth and families, with the hopes of creating a lasting impact in the community," Stevens says.

UW Campus Connections is one of the several collaborations between the Department of Psychology and the school district, including participation in the National Safe Supportive Schools Learning Collaborative and the provision of on-site, trauma-informed, culturally responsive services by graduate students across district buildings.

Colorado State University originally developed and licensed Campus Connections, along with Larimer County (Colo.) juvenile justice officials, and it has been successfully implemented at the University of Northern Colorado; the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs; Colorado State University-Pueblo; and the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Community and campus partner organizations include the Albany County Department of Family Services, Albany County School District 1, UW's Department of Psychology, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming, the Albany County Attorney's Office and the Wyoming Children's Law Center.

To learn more about UW Campus Connections, go here.

For more information, email Stevens at [email protected].