EVERFI and The Jed Foundation Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand Mental Health and Wellness Offerings for Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 11, 2019  —  EVERFI Inc., a leading education technology innovator, and The Jed Foundation (JED), a leading nonprofit that exists to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, today announced a strategic partnership to develop Mental Well-being for Students, a new digital learning course to equip undergraduates with essential skills and information to navigate the stressors and emotional challenges associated with college life. Mental Well-being for Students will be available for implementation by colleges and universities in the fall of 2019.

Colleges and universities today face significant increases in the number of students visiting campus counseling centers — up more than 30 percent since 2009 according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. A recent study from the World Health Organization found that 35 percent of incoming college students worldwide have a diagnosed mental health condition, while EVERFI data indicates that 14.4 percent of incoming students have seriously considered attempting suicide, with 8.5 percent having made a plan for doing so.

“At EVERFI, we are compelled to address the growing demand for student mental health services within institutions of higher education by providing scalable solutions that deliver essential information and skills to support the emotional well-being of all learners,” said Craig Chanoff, President of Higher Education at EVERFI. “We are proud to collaborate with JED, the leading nonprofit working to protect emotional health and prevent suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults.”

Many institutions of higher education are striving to meet the needs of their community members beyond the academic setting. They recognize the benefits that exist in educating and supporting the whole person. Population-level mental health education is an important step in that journey.

“While there is broad recognition that mental health is a critical issue for individual students, health educators and counselors need scalable prevention and support strategies to reach as many students as possible on their campuses,” said John MacPhee, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of JED. “We are excited to partner with EVERFI in the development of programming to empower undergraduate students with the knowledge and tools to help navigate mental health challenges for themselves or a friend.”

One in five teens and young adults live with a mental health condition, and three quarters develop one by age 24, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. JED’s research indicates that 75 percent of students are likely to turn to a friend when faced with stress or emotional challenges. Together with JED, EVERFI is driving lasting, large-scale change on student mental health by providing all learners with concrete skills to develop and maintain emotional health, manage interpersonal challenges, seek help for themselves, and support peers in need. This collaboration is the latest step in both EVERFI and JED’s ongoing efforts to support student well-being from early childhood through adulthood.

EVERFI and JED will co-host “From High School to College: Supporting Student Mental Health During the Transition” on May 21, 2019, at 1:00 PM ET. Register now at everfi.com/student-wellbeing-webinar to learn more about this timely topic and the forthcoming Mental Well-being for Students course.