The Jed Foundation: Transition Year

The Jed Foundation

A national nonprofit working to promote emotional health and prevent self-harm and suicide among college and university students (http://www.jedfoundation.org/)

Transition Year

An online resource center we launched with the American Psychiatric Foundation, that helps students and their families focus on emotional health before, during and after the transition from high school to college. (http://www.transitionyear.org/)

As I'm sure you and your colleagues know, this time in a teenagers' life can be very challenging. Research from the American College Health Association, found that emotional issues like depression, anxiety and stress, are leading impediments to academic success among college students. Data from a 2009 study by The Jed Foundation, mtvU and the Associated Press found that half of all college students had been too stressed to function academically or socially over the last semester. The same survey found that 13% of college students had been diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their lives and that 10% reported signs of moderate to severe depression.

For most young people, college represents independence, exploration and growth, and Transition Year can help parents and students understand and embrace those transitions. The program also includes specific information and resources for families with a student who has emerging mental health problems or a previously diagnosed condition.

Free resources and tools available through this site include:

• Interactive tools that help families consider emotional health when selecting a college
• Campus-specific information on mental health and wellness resources
• Articles and checklists for parents and students
• Advice on differentiating between manageable emotional challenges and potentially larger problems
• Specific information and resources for families of students with a diagnosed mental health condition
• Research and development for Transition Year supported by an educational grants from McNeil Pediatrics & Eli Lilly and Company.

We hope you find Transition Year to be a helpful tool.