LIVE: Project LETS' Hawes Breaks Down Resources Available to Students
LIVE: Project LETS' Hawes Breaks Down Resources Available to Students
Project LETS, or Lets Erase The Stigma, is a national organization with a chapter at Brown University. The organization provides services including peer-to-peer mentoring to students, as well as hosts community-based events centered around mental health. Mentors are students who have experienced mental health issues themselves, who provide guidance and insight to struggling students who may not be interested in traditional therapy.
"We don't like to think of it as an either-or situation when it comes to therapy or mentoring," Hawes said. "It's just another option. For some people, the power dynamic of traditional therapy is off-putting. There's no feeling like that moment of speaking with someone just like you who is saying 'I get it, I've been there.' Mental illness can be really isolating, so it's good to know you're not alone."
Another important thing for college students to know, Hawes said, is that disability services are available to those suffering from mental illness.
"The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers mental illness, and can help students gain things like more time on tests or excused absences," Hawes said. "A lot of students don't think things like anxiety disorders or other mental illnesses count as disabilities."
Project LETS members can help students seeking ADA services navigate through the application process, which often requires a considerable amount of paperwork. Students can also reach out to their school's disability services for more information on how to apply and when applications are due.
"Now's really the time, we encourage students to look into services at the beginning of the semester, rather than waiting for a crisis to occur," Hawes said.
Project LETS will be holding several events on the Brown campus as the semester kicks off, including rolling out a new training module for peer mentors. To find out more about getting involved, starting a chapter at another university, or upcoming events, visit their website or follow Brown's chapter onFacebook.