WBUR CitySpace presents Call to Mind Live: Pass or fail – mental health in community colleges with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

On Thursday, January 13, WBUR CitySpace at The Lavine Broadcast Center, in partnership with Call to Mind, will present “Pass or Fail - mental health in community colleges,” a virtual discussion addressing the inadequate mental health resources available to community college students. Moderated by Here & Now co-host Scott Tong, the free event is the 27th stop on the nationwide Well Beings Tour, a series of virtual and in-person events focused on demystifying and destigmatizing physical and mental health through storytelling.

With mental health and education experts, Tong will lead a frank discussion about navigating the mental health gaps in community college. While two-year institutions offer accessibility to vital learning opportunities, certifications and degrees, many community college students juggle studies with responsibilities like raising a family, working full-time and more. Mental health services at community colleges are often in especially short supply compared to other higher education institutions such as four-year colleges.

Guests joining Tong include: Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, Karestan Koenen, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Jordan Herrera, Director of Social Services, Amarillo College, who will discuss mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic, the unique challenges experienced by students attending community college that can strain their mental health, and solutions being explored to meet the growing need.

The virtual event will feature a Q&A portion where audience members may ask questions. Attendees may register for the event and submit their questions in advance by visiting here. The event will take place on January 13 at 6:30 p.m. and be recorded for a radio broadcast at a later date.

Call to Mind, American Public Media’s mental health initiative, is part of the Well Beings Youth Mental Health Project and its Well Beings Tour, a national initiative led by public media organization WETA addressing youth mental health needs.