MVC, Burrell Behavioral Health Launch ‘Be Well’ Initiative
Missouri Valley College opened Homecoming Weekend Friday afternoon by announcing a partnership with Burrell Behavioral Health and the two institutions displayed their commitment to student mental health with a “Be Well Bell” dedication.
The new partnership provides the resource power of Burrell on the college’s campus. Burrell mental health counselors started delivering full time services at Missouri Valley this fall. Services are available in person and via telehealth.
“When I became president, the student government didn’t ask for better food or residence hall improvements, they asked for better mental health services,” said Missouri Valley College President Joe Parisi. “We’re very fortunate to partner with Burrell to deliver what our students asked for.”
About 70 percent of college students have recently struggled with some sort of mental health event according to a March 2024 survey by U.S. News/Generation Lab.
Parisi says the college students of 2024 are taking on more stressors, which include bigger course loads and more off campus work. He says if those students are also athletes, the anxiety and stressors multiply.
Mathew Gass, Regional President for Brightli, Burrell’s parent company, said the partnership with Missouri Valley College is a good fit for Burrell Behavioral Health.
“The best thing about this is there is no additional cost for students,” Gass said. “They’ll have access to our resources whenever needed. We will also remain focused on decreasing the stigma of and increasing advocacy for mental health services.”
Burrell employees and their families will have access to Missouri Valley’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, said Gass, a Missouri Valley alumnus. Burrell will be able to draw on Missouri Valley students for internships and will look to counseling graduates as future employees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says employment for mental health counselors is projected to grow 23percent over the next decade, exceeding the growth rate for all occupations.
To commemorate the partnership, Missouri Valley students collaborated to create a “Be Well Bell” to be displayed in the Malcolm Center. Burrell’s Be Well Initiatives works with community partners to bring visibility to the mental wellness movement. The Be Well Bell program offers blank bells to be painted with a meaningful design by an artist(s) or as a community arts project.
“The Missouri Valley bell is so fitting because it is a reflection of the high priority students are placing on their mental health,” Bailey Pyle, Director of Be Well Initiatives said.