Healthy Minds Study
The Healthy Minds Study (HMS) is designed to provide data on the most effective means to invest in the mental health
of college and university students. MJC participated in the HMS in Spring 2023 to
identify the needs and priorities of our student population; evaluate benchmarks against
peer institutions; assess current programs and policies; plan for services and programs;
and advocate for resources.
The study focuses on five main areas:
- Mental health (depression, anxiety, self-injury, suicidality)
- Lifestyle/health behaviors (substance use, exercise, sleep)
- Attitudes/awareness of mental health
- Service utilization
- Academic/social environmental factors
Modesto Junior College participated in the Healthy Mind Study in March 2023. We had over 1600 students participate; approximately 10% of the student population.
What We Learned:
In the past 4 weeks, how many days have you felt that emotional or mental difficulties have hurt your academic performance?
In the past year, did you ever seriously think about attempting suicide?
If you had a mental health problem that you believed was affecting your academic performance, which people at your school would you talk to?
An estimated 64% of students at Modesto Junior College are experiencing symptoms of at least one significant mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts, self-injury, or eating disorders. From the current population this translates to almost 11,000 total MJC students with a mental health problem.
MJC's Healthy Minds data showed satisfaction rates are near 87% among students who used campus mental health services, suggesting that our services are effective.