Supporting our Tar Heels
Carolina offers on-campus services and partners with well-being and mental health leaders to help serve our campus community.
We want all Tar Heels to succeed and thrive while they are at UNC-Chapel Hill, and that starts with ensuring our graduate and undergraduate students have access to mental health resources.
Carolina offers on-campus services and partners with well-being and mental health leaders, such as the JED Foundation, which focuses on the mental health of teens and young adults, to help serve the campus community.
“We want our students to know that all of us are here to support them. If a student needs a helping hand, they can reach out to our Dean of Students team, an RA if they are living on campus, or any member of our faculty and staff. And of course, our counselors at CAPS are available to support 24/7,” said Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson.
The University launched the Heels Care Network last spring to provide a hub for mental health and well-being resources for the entire Carolina community. At care.unc.edu, Tar Heels can find information on 24/7 support, resources about suicide prevention and peer support, well-being programs and events, a live chat to talk with other students to find help and an anonymous care referral form that anyone can use to report concerns they have about a student. The website includes a comprehensive, searchable and filterable database of mental health and well-being resources.
“The Heels Care Network is a campus-wide collaboration that truly embodies our goal of creating a culture of care and compassion at Carolina,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said. “It is designed to help students, families, staff — anyone — find the resources they need to support their mental health and overall well-being.”
Commonly known as CAPS, Campus Health’s Counseling and Psychological Services is focused on addressing the mental health needs of our students. CAPS offers brief therapy, group therapy, medication management, resources for managing ADHD, referral coordination and a multicultural health program that focuses on the needs of Black, Indigenous and other students of color.
CAPS offers a 24/7 phone line for students experiencing mental health concerns or who are in distress. Tar Heels can call 919-966-3658 to talk with a mental health professional. Students can also speak with their fellow Tar Heels through Peer2Peer, a student-led organization offering free peer mental health support sessions.
Healthy Heels, a collaboration between Campus Health, Student Wellness, Counseling and Psychological Services and Campus Recreation to create a healthier campus, also regularly shares tips and advice for well-being.
For members of the Carolina community who want to be a support for Carolina students, the UNC School of Social Work hosts mental health first aid training that teaches basic skills to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis and to identify the correct professional resources for additional care.
