UA Health Sciences Offers Mental Health Wellness Program for Students

The University of Arizona Health Sciences’ Office of Diversity and Inclusion is offering a free mental health wellness program for students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and public health at the Tucson campus.

Committed and trained to prioritize the health of their patients, students pursuing health-care careers may find they experience mental-health concerns while coping with the stress and rigors of their studies.

In response, the Program for Mental Health Wellness of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion offers the services of mental-health counselor Alison Sutton-Ryan, LCSW, LISAC. Sutton-Ryan provides free and confidential services that include consultations, assessments, referrals, training on mental-health topics, brief individual therapy, group support facilitation, class presentations and workshops for students. In addition, the program provides support for faculty and staff with concerns about students.

“As our students learn about mental-health illness, addiction and substance abuse and other disorders, we want to ensure they can apply what they  learn to assess themselves and recognize if they need to self-refer,” said Sutton-Ryan. “In addition, we know that pursing a health professions degree can include working in challenging situations that may lead to stress and anxiety.”

Students at the UA Health Sciences can self-refer or faculty members can refer students to the program’s services. Student support and curriculum programming services are available for UA Health Sciences faculty members.

“This new program and others offered by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion work to create inclusive, diverse environments that provide greater opportunities for teaching, learning and discovery, creating a climate in which engagement, equity and inclusion are practiced and valued by all,” said Francisco A. Moreno, MD, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion. 

To learn more about the program or to schedule an appointment, please contact Alison Sutton-Ryan at 520-626-3912 or asuttonryan@email.arizona.edu or visit: http://diversity.uahs.arizona.edu/mental-health-wellness