Mental Health Services at UIUC

Taking care of your mental health is one of the most important things you’ll do in college. We want to make it as easy as possible for every student to have access to the resources and help they need to enjoy their college years. Listed below, we’ve compiled a short list of mental health resources available to all students on UIUC’s campus.

For immediate help, call the Rosecrance local crisis line at 217-359-4141.

Wellness at Illinois

Wellness at Illinois is your main hub for mental health services and resources at UIUC. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or someone you know or looking for resources related to both mental and overall wellness, this website has well-organized, easy-to-navigate information to guide you toward whatever mental health services or resources suit your situation.

When trying to navigate situations involving mental health, sometimes the most difficult part is knowing where to begin. If that’s where you are right now, the wellness website provides prompted questions to help you figure out what kind of service will best suit your needs. Most of the other resources we’ll discuss can be found on the Wellness website, so as you hunt for services, this is probably the best place to start.

Counseling Center

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and wellbeing education for students. The center is staffed by a variety of professionals and offers many different options for students looking for mental health services, including:

Individual Counseling

The Counseling Center offers time-limited individual counseling sessions for students. The number of sessions varies and is contingent on the individual situation. If specialized services or long-term care is required, Counseling Center staff can assist with connecting students with professional services in the community.

Group Counseling

Group counseling is the long-term counseling option provided by the center. Typically, around 20 groups are held per semester, each consisting of 4 to 10 students with 2 experienced group therapists. Groups meet every week at the same time for 90 minutes, during which members discuss the issues that are concerning them and offer each other support and feedback.

Outreach & Prevention

The main goal of the Counseling Center’s outreach and prevention programs is to provide education and tools for students to take control of their own mental wellness. These mini classes are designed to help students build academic and stress-management skills. Examples include daily mindfulness, conquering test anxiety, and improving time management.

McKinley Health Center

McKinley Health Center also offers mental health services for students. Their mental health unit provides assessment and treatment recommendations for different emotional and behavioral situations, and it can provide the following resources:

Individual Psychotherapy

Like the Counseling Center, McKinley offers short-term individual psychotherapy sessions. Limited psychiatry services are also available by referral from McKinley health professionals.

Resources for Students in Crisis

Assessment for students in crisis is available at McKinley Health Center Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A McKinley staff member is always in the office between these hours to evaluate student needs and help with transfer for further treatment or hospitalization as needed. These professionals may also help introduce coping skills, references on campus, and community therapy. When the office is closed, students in crisis should contact the Rosecrance crisis line at 217-359-4141.

MHC Wellness App

The McKinley Health Center Wellness App is designed to give students easy and direct access to resources on campus and tools to help take care of mental health. Features of the app include interactive games, resources to help foster academic success, readings about wellness and reducing stress, and more.

Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center.

Cultural & Resource Centers

The Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations is dedicated to providing support to students all across campus. Among their resources are six different cultural and resources centers. Each center provides diversity and inclusion-based programs, like the Latino/a Resilience Network and LGBT Ally Network, opportunities to grow your support system through casual events like daily lunches, and inclusive spaces for students of different identities to come together.

Community Mental Health Resources

These resources exist to help all students curate a positive relationship with mental health and wellbeing, and they are always at your disposal. If you ever feel like you need to reach out—either for yourself or for a friend or coworker—remember that these programs and the people behind them are here to help.