College Health & Safety

A Mediaplanet Guide to On-Campus Life

College Health & Safety

Nick Cannon Read the personal story behind the star’s commitment to higher education Discover the future of STI testing Learn how one CEO is tackling personal safety through jewelry

MARCH 2022 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM

An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today

T H I S J E W E L RY C O U L D S AV E YO U R L I F E

TM

STYLISH AND DISCREET S.O.S DEVICES! 2 C L I C K S W I L L A L E RT LOV E D O N E S & E M E R G E N CY S E RV I C E S I F YO U N E E D H E L P !

invisaWear CEO Rajia Abdelaziz On How Her Devices Keep Women Safe It’s an unfortunate reality that the world can be a dangerous place, especially for women walking alone. Thats why Rajia Abdelaziz, CEO of invisaWear, started her line of wearable security devices disguised as stylish jewelry.

“I was in college leaving an event and was followed by a car full of guys yelling rude comments at me. Then one started to get out, I ran to my car and was thankfully able to get away; but so many others can’t say the same,” Abdelaziz said. “I looked for a safety device for myself and my loved ones and found nothing suitable to my needs, so I created my own.”

The discreet devices, which come in a variety of styles from bracelets to keychains to necklaces, include a charm with a hidden button that can send an emergency text to five loved ones when double-clicked. The alarm also sends a link to the user’s GPS location and can call 911.

For women, and especially young women, sexual assault can be a constant threat. “The statistics surrounding sexual assault are unacceptable, with 1 in 5 women being sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime,” Abdelaziz noted.

“Our mission is to make an impact to help decrease these disheartening statistics by allowing people to protect themselves and the people they love. Our goal is to empower users to feel safe, secure, and connected.” And she’s committed to this cause — so much so that she declined a six-figure job with Google to focus on her potentially life-saving product.

One place where invisaWear devices could have a major impact is college campuses, where sexual assault is a particularly pervasive ongoing problem. “College can be an exciting and scary time all at once,” Abdelaziz said. “You’re living on your own, sometimes far away from friends and family. There are so many things you may be worried about, your safety shouldn’t be one.”

She added, “We hope our products give college students and their parents some much-needed peace of mind knowing help is two clicks away.”

This article has been paid for by invisaWear.

Lynne Daggett

@MEDIAPLANETUSA

@FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH

Connecting Communities On and Off Campus

While institutions of higher education have increased their focus on mental health and overall well-being in recent years, the need for these services has also risen drastically, and the pandemic has only compounded these needs.

An increase in the number of students seeking support for mental health and basic needs on their campuses is at an all time high across the United States, so much so that many students have to wait months before they can get the help they need. Colleges and universities are doing their best to serve the high volume of students, but it isn’t enough. As students wait to get the help they need, there is a chance that they will resort to unhealthy coping strategies

Geena Crosby Prevention Coordinator, Youth and Young Adult Services, Prevention Action Alliance

to deal with their problems, which only exacerbates the original issue.

So, how can we change this?

Though institutions often function as distinct individual communities, it is important for campuses to develop partnerships with the surrounding neighborhoods as well. This interconnectivity benefits the institution as well as the broader community of which it is a part.

When on-campus profession-

als are able to provide students with off-campus resources — be it counseling, food banks, treatment services, or financial support — students develop stronger connections to the community.

This often leads to an increase in civic engagement amongst students, which is also beneficial to economic development.

Once students are able to get the support they need, on or off campus, we will see higher retention and graduation rates, a decrease in high level mental health needs, and a decrease in off-campus issues. If we all work together to create a culture that supports the overall safety and well-being of youth and young adults, we can create a ripple effect where these very individuals will grow to carry on this culture in their own communities, allowing them to thrive. n

INQUIRIES: US.EDITORIAL@MEDIAPLANET.COM AND US.ADVERTISE@MEDIAPLANET.COM

PLEASE RECYCLE

Publisher Jenna Berliner Business Developer Katie Konfino Managing Director Jordan Hernandez Lead Designer Kayla Mendez Designer Keziah Makoundou Lead Editor Jon Adams Copy Editor Kathleen Walsh Director of Content and Production Jordan Hernandez Cover Photo Debmar-Mercury All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

2

READ MORE AT FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM

YouTuber Margot Lee On Her Healthy College Lifestyle The lifestyle and fashion influencer explains how she lives her best on-campus life.

What are some tips for maintaining a healthy diet in college? What is one of your favorite healthy recipes?

Actor and model Corinne Foxx looks back fondly on her college experience.

The 2016 USC grad remembers studying public relations and marketing, being the social chair for her sorority, industry internships, and semester abroad in London.

Now, Foxx — who has a recurring role in “Dollface” on Hulu, a podcast called “Am I Doing This Right?”, and co-hosts “Beat Shazam” on Fox with her father, actor Jamie Foxx — reflects on her father-daughter relationship, her college experiences, and shares advice for college students.

What was it like growing up as Jamie Foxx’s daughter?

I always felt like I lived kind of this double life, like Hannah Montana, where by day I just went to school and I went to my job and I did chores. Then at night, I got to go to very cool

PHOTO:STORM SANTOS

College Advice and Insights from Actor Corinne Foxx

Health in college is all about balance and being kind to yourself! Chances are, your lifestyle will change drastically when you start college, so it’s really important to give yourself time to readjust to your new environment, especially when it comes to your diet. My favorite recipe was making a smoothie in my dorm using frozen fruits and yogurt packs from the dining hall.

events with my dad. I got to be Miss Golden Globe. I went to the Oscars when he won his Oscar, when I was 10. There were really incredible moments and experiences and people that I got to meet, but I feel like overall I had as normal of life as I could have, given the circumstances.

in and so I feel like it’s this perfect playground that’s safe for you to experiment and grow and try different things.

What’s it like to work with your father now?

My senior year of college, I had some of the worst anxiety and panic attacks of my entire life, because of the pressure to figure out what I was going to do and who I was going to be. Four years were ending and I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my life and I took that time to start finding tools to cope with my mental health and mental illness. I learned to meditate my senior year of college, which to this day — I always say — is the thing that saved me. n

It’s so fulfilling. The two of us, we creatively really connect and understand each other and get along.

What’s your advice for college students?

I think college is this pivotal time in your life where you push yourself in the confines of structure.

You get to leave home, you get to meet new people, but you still have that structure. You have to go to class and you have to turn things

Tell me about your work as an ambassador for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

What did you do at college to stay physically active and motivated?

Between a huge course load, social events, and extracurriculars, I found I barely had time to sleep, let alone make it to the gym. My biggest tip would be to try to walk everywhere you can, and find a workout buddy to hold you accountable.

How were you able to make a balanced schedule in college that involved getting your work done, and staying healthy?

Schedule time for yourself! It’s easy to put schoolwork and events ahead of your personal needs, but just penciling in 30 minutes a day for “me time,” whatever that means to you, will ensure that you can check-in and do what you need to do in order to feel better and stay healthy.

What was your routine to prep for finals?

What does a day of studying for you look like?

I always do my best studying in cafes, so I’d try to secure a table early in the day, get a large coffee, and hunker down. Bonus points if you leave your phone in your dorm so you don’t get distracted and give yourself five-minute stretch breaks as you need them.

With college safety and security being a major issue for young women, what did you do to feel safe while living on campus?

Always have multiple friends that you share location with and update where you’re going, avoid walking alone at night, and be familiar with your campus’s safety procedures.

Kristen Castillo

MEDIAPLANET

3

COVID-19 forced colleges and universities around the world to make huge adjustments. Shifting teaching and learning to digital formats meant upgrading technology to support infrastructural and operational needs, and instructors had to find novel ways of replicating the co-curriculum in a virtual environment. One of the most important shifts was in upgrading campus health and safety policies.

An unpredictable future Although no one could have predicted that an unseen, silent killer would be able to snuff out nearly one million lives in just over 24 months, the opportunity for it to happen was always there. As a result, those charged with devising or implementing campus health and safety policies must review and revise current policies, procedures, and protocols and devise new ones, with the opportunity of variable threats in mind.

Many of our nation’s most under-resourced colleges and universities also still need the human and fiscal resources to prepare for the inevitability of another pandemic, potentially occurring in a more insidious form, with more deleterious consequences to student safety or their prospects for enrolling and persisting in college.

Current threats Colleges and universities should take cues from major corporations and businesses which address potential danger scenarios on a daily basis. A thorough review of one’s policies, procedures, protocols, and practices by institutional leadership and practitioners, as well as frequent gaming out of threat scenarios, will go a long way toward ensuring that colleges and universities can fulfill their core mission of facilitating a quality postsecondary education for learners of all ages and backgrounds.

Yolanda Watson Spiva Ph.D., President, Complete College America

4

READ MORE AT FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM

Nick Cannon Believes Higher Education Should Be for Everyone

PHOTO: JOCELYN PRESCOD

COVID Changed Everything, and Campus Health and Safety Polices Should Be No Exception

Rapper, comedian, and TV host Nick Cannon has been an advocate for higher education since receiving his degree from Howard University.

I

n 2021, Nick Cannon helped pay off seven college students’ debts on ‘The Nick Cannon Show.’ “Everyone can understand the heaviness of college debt,” Cannon said. “If you want to give someone a head start in their post-college life, you erase all of the debt that you possibly can. From there, it’s a clean slate.”

Cannon has been an advocate for higher education since receiving his degree in criminology from Howard University in 2012. “Going back to school was something that I always aspired to,” he said. “Because of my career, I had to put college on the backburner. The opportunity to start my career at a young age and help provide for my family meant that I took that path, but education was always important to me.”

Howard had always been Cannon’s dream institution.

“When you think of historically black colleges and universities, Howard University shines up there with the best of them,” he said. “It’s probably the one that everyone thinks of first. I just knew Howard University had such strong alumni, people like Stokely Carmichael and Frederick Douglass,” who sat on Howard’s Board of Trustees. “Even if they weren’t students, it was the culture that had been cultivated in that building. To be able to be there was truly the holy grail.”

Cannon didn’t know exactly what path he wanted to take when he began his studies at Howard in 2008, but he quickly found an interest in working with incarcerated youth.

“A professor, Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, was running her own inside-out program in the

prison systems in the D.C. area,” Cannon said. Cannon promptly changed his major from communication to criminology.

“I was really trying to understand the flaws in our criminal justice system. I wanted to be more than just a celebrity who gives his opinion. I wanted to be someone who was educated in this space and understands criminology.”

Cannon’s advice for people considering college is to be realistic about the financial plan and keep the end goal in mind. “We say education is the passport to the future,” he said.

“We all know there’s financial ties that come with all of this, but there’s no investment like investing into yourself and into your own personal journey.” n

Ross Elliott

How Campus Housing Staff Protect Students From the student resident assistants to the full-time professionals, campus housing staff prepare to meet growing student mental health challenges.

N

ot all safety threats facing college and university students can be stopped with smart locks or smoke detectors. Instead, campuses rely on education, awareness, and understanding to address today’s students’ mental health challenges, one of the prevailing areas of concern in higher education.

Fortunately, campus housing programs are preparing staff and strengthening campus

partnerships to meet this need.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was significant concern about student mental health. For many students, their arrival on campus and move into the residence hall is their first prolonged time away from home, their family, and childhood friends. They are faced with new academic expectations as well as their first taste of freedom. It can be a challenge in the best of times, but in the face of a pandemic

the pressure mounts. A recent Active Minds survey showed 89% of college students are experiencing stress or anxiety as a result of the pandemic.

Campus housing staff and student leaders, particularly professional hall directors who live on campus and resident assistants, have been instrumental in helping students handle these concerns. Their training has prepared them to build community, navigate conflicts, and, when needed,

perform crisis intervention and referrals. Now, an increased emphasis has been put on reducing the stigma around mental health care by initiating conversations and educating residents about available campus resources. Housing departments are long-standing partners with campus counseling centers, working with them to offer educational programs that empower students to ask for assistance when needed, as well as recognize the signs if another

student is struggling. As campuses have adjusted to the pandemic, their efforts have helped individual units to further break down silos and serve students more effectively. Rethinking these relationships has only strengthened this collaboration.

Campus residence halls are microcosms of society and vital elements of the college experience. Whether the issue is a pandemic, supporting a student as they expand their worldview, or mental health, its influence is felt within those walls. By understanding this responsibility, proactively working to form connections, and strengthening support mechanisms, campus housing departments are there to help students to remain safe and flourish. n Mary DeNiro, CEO, Association of College & University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) SPONSORED

Transforming How You Test, Talk, and Treat STIs Requiring only a vaginal swab, the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test can deliver test results for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomoniasis in under 30 minutes.

As one of the most sexually active populations, it’s critical for college students to take charge of their sexual health.

Many STIs have no obvious signs or symptoms, being proactive not only to keep themselves healthy now and for their future reproductive health,

but also to limit the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the community.

“A healthy sexual life is something we hope everybody can enjoy,” said Dr. Gary Schoolnik, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Visby Medical Chief Medical Officer. “And it’s important that one be thoughtful and responsible when enjoying a healthy sexual life.”

Some of these responsible measures include using condoms, limiting the number of sexual partners you have,

getting tested for STIs on a regular basis, and getting tested between partners. And thanks to a new FDA-cleared test, getting tested and treated for STIs is faster and easier than ever.

Fast, reliable results in one visit Using a sample from a self-collected vaginal swab, the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test can detect Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomoniasis with ~97 percent accuracy or greater.

The test returns results in less than 30 minutes, whereas other

tests can take several days. This allows patients to receive testing, diagnosis, and treatment all in one visit.

“That reduces the risk of someone falling through the cracks and not getting their infection treated before they can spread it to somebody else,” said Dr. Ina Park, a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine.

STIs are not a rare occurrence. In fact, half of sexually active people will get one by

age 25. Fortunately, nearly all STIs are curable, or at least manageable. The best way to limit their spread and the harm they cause is by being proactive about your sexual health, and the Visby Medical Sexual Health Click Test is a key tool for doing just that. n Dustin Brennan

Ask your doctor about the Visby Medica Sexual Health Click Testl and learn more by visiting visbymedical.com/ sexual-health-test

MEDIAPLANET

5

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among College Students During the COVID crisis College years are a valuable time for growth and self-discovery. But drugs, alcohol, and other mental health issues can get in the way of that — especially in the time of COVID-19.

Substance abuse and mental health had been a concern prior to the pandemic, but these conditions have only gotten worse since then.

Isolation, uncertainty, canceled events, strained relationships, and financial concerns, among other pandemic-related problems, have brought with it an increase in anxiety and depression and spikes in substance abuse.

With binge drinking, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that, according to a 2020 study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there has been a steady decline among college students, reaching all-time lows in recent years. The bad news is that alcohol remains the most abused substance among college students, with 33% of students reporting binge drinking in a given month and 9% of college students developing alcohol use disorder.

Despite the decrease in binge drinking, marijuana use continues to rise. The use of so-called “study drugs” such as Ritalin and Adderall is also skyrocketing, having increased dramatically among college students over the last two decades. Although exact estimates of the range of its abuse among the total college student population vary considerably, the extent of its use is staggering on any count.

Most tragic of all is that fentanyl overdose deaths are the number one cause of death for adults ages 18-45, according to the CDC. Recovery Centers of America (RCA) is dedicated to helping patients achieve a life of recovery through evidence-based alcohol and drug addiction treatment. RCA has 10 inpatient facilities in the United States as well as full spectrum of outpatient treatment services. If you need help, Recovery Centers of America will answer your call 24/7 and can get you into treatment starting TODAY. Call 1-800-RECOVERY now.

This article has been paid for by the Recovery Centers of America.

6

READ MORE AT FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM

Taking Care of Our Kids’ Mental Health (and Our Own) During the Pandemic We have all had to weather changes to our daily lives with what has transpired and what will continue to occur as a result of COVID-19. So have our children.

L

ife is very different now, and many of us are not okay with it. The question is: how do we go forward knowing this, while caring for our kids’ well-being and our own? Even if you are not a parent, it is likely that you know a child who is navigating these challenges and may be looking to you for support.

Prioritize mental health and health in general Right now, the basic activities that we know support our mental health are more important than ever. Proactively make sure that you and your kids are getting regular sleep, exercise, and time in nature when possible, and are limiting intake of news or other media that can be disturbing or stressful, especially to young children. Be mindful of what is on in the background throughout your day. Ask your children how they are feeling and make time to listen without judgment. Check in with yourself about how you are feeling, too.

Be flexible when challenges arise We are all navigating shifting rou-

tines, changing circumstances, and new requirements. It can take us time to adjust and we may have feelings about them. It’s okay if things don’t go as planned or as smoothly as you had hoped this year. We are all learning as we go and learning what isn’t working is just as important as learning what does work for your family. I often say to my kids, “We are figuring this out together,” when new challenges arise.

Keep scheduling family time and rituals These can be shared meals, like Taco Tuesday in my family, walks, game time, or weekly movie nights. Regular rituals that you plan around can help add a sense of structure and routine and give you time to connect as a family.

Don’t have a ritual? Create one and stick to it (even if your kids grumble at first).

Model healthy coping and reaching out for help Managing your own stress is vital to supporting those around you.

Taking care of your own mental health will help to reinforce the message that we can all take an active role in caring for ourselves

and that it is vital during times of change. Share with your family mindfulness activities or other things that work for you, and introduce them to videos, books, or other information to help them cope with their stress. Keep in contact with your support network and encourage them to do the same with theirs. Reinforce the message that there is always help available, including professional help, if they feel they are not managing well, and that help is available to the entire family.

We can all do some things to support our families and each other as we navigate these changes. If you are worried about the mental health of someone you love, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 800 273-8255 (TALK) or the Crisis Text Line (text TALK to 741741) to get some guidance on how to get help for you or your loved one. n

Doreen Marshall Ph.D., Vice President of Mission Engagement, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Coping with Substance Abuse Disorders at College

“Real Housewives of New Jersey” Star Jackie Goldschneider on Overcoming Her Eating Disorder Jackie Goldschneider has struggled with an eating disorder for 18 years. The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star recently got help at a recovery center.

“I think it’s really important to separate food from your feelings,” she says. “I just try and realize that food now is to nourish me. And it’s for celebration and enjoyment and I deserve to eat good food.”

Now as season 12 of the hit reality show returns, the 45-year-old is sharing her advice for others.

You recently went for treatment. What’s different now?

In still-developing collegeaged brains, substance abuse can have a powerful — and negative — impact.

Substance use among college-aged students is on the rise—44% of college students reported using marijuana, nearly 9% reported using hallucinogens, and 54.9% of full-time college students drank alcohol in the past month.

“Substance use can develop into a substance use disorder (SUD),” says Smita Das, M.D, Ph.D., MPH, chair of the American Psychiatric Association (APA)’s Council on Addiction Psychiatry. “Between the ages of 18 to 25 the brain is still developing, and it’s vulnerable.”

Risk perception A big factor is what Dr. Das

terms “risk perception.”

“When somebody thinks that something is less risky, use goes up,” she notes. “The risk perception of cannabis and hallucinogens is at an all-time low while their use among college students is at an all-time high.”

Education and communication should begin before students are college-aged to help combat misinformation, like some popular misperceptions surrounding cannabis. “One of the main misperceptions about cannabis is that it’s not addictive,” Das notes. “But 9 to 15% of cannabis users will develop a cannabis use disorder.”

Helping students cope Substance use by college-aged students is closely associated with other mental health prob-

lems: 37% of alcohol abusers and 53% of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness.

“Investment needs to happen in at the college mental health level, but also leading up to that,” Das says. “We want to help someone who is engaging in risky drinking behavior before they develop an alcohol use disorder.”

Das encourages students concerned about substance use to reach out to healthcare professionals. “I’m just so impressed when I have a college student show up for a visit because taking that first step is huge,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if we achieve something in that first visit. The most important thing is that they’re talking about this.” n

Last year was very, very stressful for me and I ended up losing some more weight and I realized that I still had a very big problem. This year I actually found the center and you’ll see the process of really intense recovery therapy. I also found out that my anorexia was having an effect on my heart.

I think people don’t realize how dangerous eating disorders can be. The past few years, it was very therapeutic for me to talk about it, but I think a lot of people noticed that I still had recovery to do and so I’m happy to be using my platform now to show people really how to get help if they’re struggling.

What advice do you have for young people?

An eating disorder can accelerate very quickly, so if you notice that you’re starting to take on some unhealthy habits, talk to somebody you trust. The Renfrew Center is where I went for help. You can call the National Eating Disorder Association helpline [800-931-2237] and they’ll walk you through how to get help.

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

It is not worth it. Eating disorders rob you of so much enjoyment and so much comfort and they really can kill you. It’s a shame to suffer for so long. I wish I had done this earlier.

Kristen Castillo

Jeff Somers

MEDIAPLANET

7

Recovery Centers of America is setting a new standard for drug & alcohol addiction treatment and mental health services for college students and young adults.

If you are a college student or young adult who started experimenting with alcohol or drugs and now find yourself unable to stop and feeling out of control, overwhelmed or hopeless — you never have to feel this way again.

At our world-class facilities, located across the east coast and in the midwest, we’re dedicated to helping our patients achieve recovery and thrive by treating the source, symptoms and contributors of substance use and mental illness.

22% of college students meet the medical definition of drug addiction

49% of full-time college students drink and/or abuse illegal or prescription drugs*

“There is nothing to be afraid of when seeking treatment. Getting help was one of the most courageous decisions I’ve ever made.”

- Kat C. RCA Alumni

At Recovery Centers of America, patients receive individualized treatment and long-term care plans to set them up for lifelong recovery, Our full continuum of care includes, detox, inpatient care, all levels of outpatient care (available both in-person and via telehealth), alumni services and family support.

In addition to RCA’s core curriculum, our young adult patients benefit from specialized programs and services, such as: • • •

DISCOVER, for young adults THRIVE, for patients in the LGBTQIA+ community BALANCE, a program that treats patients with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders

• •

PRISE, for patients experiencing a relapse WORKFLEX, a service that allows students and professionals to maintain school/work obligations while in treatment

Locations: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania

24/7 admissions | In-network with insurance | Family support and intervention services

We answer the phone and admit patients 24/7 Call Now: 1-800-RECOVERY | RECOVERYCENTERSOFAMERICA.COM *According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse