New resources on mental health and student accommodations now available

Dear Colleagues:

We are writing to share two important resources that we hope you will read, use, and share. 

Accessibility, wellness, and mental health for our faculty, staff, students, and community members are top priorities for George Mason University. We are committed to educating the Mason community about inclusivity, accessibility, and mental health; providing resources for faculty, staff, and students; and connecting those in need with clinical care. Community support for students with disabilities is core to Mason’s values of including a multitude of people and respecting differences.

Today, we are making two important resources available:

1. Language Matters: This guide provides faculty, staff, and students with critical information to dispel myths about mental health and to address language that may create barriers to seeking help. You can view, and are encouraged to share, this  one-page summary (this document includes a general one-page summary, a summary for students, and a summary for faculty).
    
2. Let's Help Our Students: Access, Equity, and Inclusion for Students with Disabilities: This guide outlines for faculty and staff how to work with students who need accommodations by providing guidelines, key terms, laws and policies, examples, and resources to
   help with inclusion and the breaking down of barriers. This also has a one-page summary.

Both guides are offered in support of Patriots Thriving Together – the Mason-wide initiative to improve the mental health of our community by 1) Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment, 2) Delivering education and training 3) Nurturing community, 4) Using research and evidence-based practice, and 5) Delivering clinical care.

Using the “right words” to discuss mental health and mental illness, and stressing the importance of student accommodations, can help to prevent stigma and discrimination. As importantly, it can help us continue to build a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can succeed. 

All the best.

Kenneth D. Walsh, PhD                                                     Rose Pascarell
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President               Vice President for University Life