University Health Services has launched a drop-in counseling program in an effort to remove barriers for UW-Madison students who need help, but may not be inclined to seek traditional counseling services.
The program, Let's Talk, offers free, informal counseling with UHS mental health care providers to students at various locations on campus.
""The goal is really to reach out to campus, to students who maybe feel less inclined to come in for formal counseling or just need to have a brief consultation with a mental health professional,"" said Let's Talk Associate Director Amanda Ngola. ""If they have a question they need answered or a quick problem or need someone to bounce an idea off of. ""
The program is not meant as a substitute for formal counseling, but to expose students to counseling in a casual way. Counselors may refer students to other health services if they have mental health concerns.
The program is an effort to serve students outside of the walls of the UHS clinic, said Ngola.
""Knowing that UHS serves only 10 percent of students, there is a large amount of students who we aren't serving who maybe could benefit from something brief like a consultation,"" Ngola said.
Let's Talk is modeled after a similar program at Cornell University which has been successful, according to Ngola.
Counseling hours and locations are available online at www.uhs.wisc.edu/services/counseling/lets-talk.
—Kayla Johnson
