2026-2027: A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health (ITHACA EDITION)

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Bitter fights over politics and culture. Conflicts in the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. Anxiety over everything from climate change and public health to personal financial pressures. Not to mention the pressures of passing courses and making friends on campus. And finding a job after graduation!

McGraw Tower, Cornell University

These are very stressful times for today’s college students. They require parents to fully grasp the serious mental health challenges their students may face and be equipped to provide support.

Did you know that the majority of college students today meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem? Or that college counseling centers are often overwhelmed?

The Sophie Fund publishes its annual “A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health” to help parents—especially those whose children are attending college in Ithaca—better understand the challenges and how to deal with them.

The guide curates key resources about student mental health and lists support services on campus and in the Ithaca community. It also includes advice from local mental health experts, college administrators, current and former students, and parents of students who have dealt with psychological challenges in college.

DOWNLOAD: A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health (PDF)

Rates of depression and anxiety are high among college students. In fact, many students carry suicidal thoughts. Sexual assault is prevalent among college students. Hazing violence as an initiation rite at fraternities and some student organizations is a serious problem.

All of these factors pose even greater risks for students who arrive on campus with a mental health or substance use disorder.

“It’s crucial for parents to understand potential signs of distress, and how to foster trust and open communication to support their child during this period of transition,” said Sigrid Pechenik, former associate director of Cornell University’s Counseling & Psychological Services.

“It’s never too early to start a conversation, do not wait until mid or late semester. Recognize symptoms beyond expected adjustment, such as changes in mood and behavior, academic struggles, social withdrawal, changes in communication, and/or loss of interest in things that they used to enjoy.”

Failure to understand these realities of college student life today, and to help with issues that may arise, can lead to serious consequences.

When parents do fully grasp the scope of the challenges, they are more attuned to how their student is handling the major life transition from home to college. Parents especially need to understand the risk factors and warning signs for a mental health crisis, and how to support their student if they should exhibit cause for concern.
 
Help can range from staying connected with moral support and positive encouragement to evaluating and navigating mental health treatment options at the college counseling center, in the community, or back home during a health leave of absence.
 
Our plea to parents: Even if you think you don’t need it, download and review the guide, and keep it close at hand during your student’s college years and beyond.

DOWNLOAD: A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health (PDF)

Campus Sexual Violence: Mind the “Red Zone!”

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College campuses in the Ithaca area are buzzing with the return of students for the 2026-27 school year. Excitement is in the air as they reconnect with classmates and meet new friends. 

Unfortunately, for many students collegiate life comes with the threat of sexual and relationship violence. Each year, between the months of August through November, instances of sexual violence at universities in the United States increase drastically. 

This season is known as the “red zone,” beginning at the start of the fall semester and lasting through Thanksgiving break. More than 50 percent of college sexual assaults happen during this time, when new students are especially vulnerable as they adjust to their new environment and social circles, according to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN). 

Sexual violence does not cease as the “red zone” ends in December, so continued awareness is crucial. RAINN reports that more than a quarter of college undergraduate women “experience rape or sexual assault involving physical force, violence, or incapacitation.”

The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County and The Sophie Fund partner each year to create Be Safe at College, a simple flyer highlighting key resources to cultivate safer campuses, support sexual violence survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. Upload it to your phone, pin a copy to your bulletin board, or hang up the flyeracross campus.

DOWNLOAD Be Safe at College PDF PNG

Information about how to find resources can feel daunting, especially if you or someone you know has experienced the immense trauma of sexual violence. 

The Advocacy Center’s Campus Resource Hub (linked through the QR codes) is updated to reflect current contact information, support resources, data, and more—unique to Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Tompkins Cortland Community College. 

“My hope is that students can feel empowered by both the knowledge they gain from these tools as well as confidence in the skills they already possess,” said Alex Kabat, the Campus Educator at the Advocacy Center.

“For many college students, coming to campus can be the first time they are living on their own. You deserve to have fun, enjoy new experiences, and immerse yourself into who you want to become. You also deserve safety, respect, and care. Remember: sexual violence is never a victim or survivor’s fault and support is available.”

In her role as Campus Educator, Kabat provides trauma-informed education, connection to resources, and dedication to support at each local college campus. She also provides programs, print materials, interactive tabling opportunities, and more. For any inquiries, email Alex directly: akabat@actompkins.org. 

Donate to The Sophie Fund: Our 2026 Appeal

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Every year, to mark Sophie’s birthday on August 23 we launch our annual fundraising appeal. Please consider making a donation today to support The Sophie Fund’s work aiding the mental health of young people in the Ithaca and Tompkins County communities. 100% of donations go directly toward the grants we provide to mental health providers and community organizations for training and programming; and to our modest operating costs.

Thank you for being part of our collective mental health mission!

To Make a Donation:

Click Here for The Sophie Fund Donation Page

Current goals in need of funding include:

—Training in mental health and suicide prevention for Ithaca-area clinicians, social workers, and community members. This includes The Wellness Institute’s annual suicide prevention conference next March; discrete training modules for evidence-based treatment protocols such as Safety Planning and Lethal Means Counseling; and a forum to engage our local primary care practices in suicide prevention. We have now trained more than 250 clinicians in Tompkins County, including the entire counseling center staffs of Cornell University and Ithaca College.

—Production, printing, and distribution costs for mental health guides designed for the local Tompkins County community, including: Mental Health Support and Suicide Prevention for Schools in Tompkins County; A Parent’s Guide to College Student Mental Health; A Student’s Guide to College Mental Health (in production); Bullying Prevention Resources for Schools and Families; Be Safe at College; Mental Health and Crisis Services Tompkins County.

A few highlights of The Sophie Fund’s activities over the past 12 months:

—In March, The Sophie Fund financially sponsored the participation of 56 Tompkins County healthcare professionals in a two-day online suicide prevention training featuring some of the nation’s leading experts.

—The Sophie Fund partnered with the Ithaca Beer Co. during Mental Health Awareness Month in May to highlight the mental health information and treatment resources that are available in Tompkins County.

—In our annual “Cupcake Button” fundraising campaign, we collaborated with five Cornell University student organizations to collect $1,119.00 for the Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) organization.

—The Sophie Fund co-sponsored the 4th annual Better Together for Mental Health festival in May in Stewart Park. We provided a grant to the Family Reading Partnership to provide free copies of Between You and Me, a children’s picture book celebrating friendship.

—Four students in the Master of Public Health program at Cornell University produced public health communications projects for The Sophie Fund: A Student’s Guide to College Mental Health; Recipes to Make When You Reeaally Don’t Feel Like Cooking; and two social media campaigns, “Winter Wellness Tips” and an English-Chinese posts directing international students to mental health resources.

—As a member of the New York State Suicide Prevention Council we contributed to the development of the New York State Suicide Prevention Plan (to be released in September); and to oversight of a $3.5 million federal SAMHSA grant to advance the Zero Suicide Model in 40 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) throughout New York State.

—The Sophie Fund received the 2025 Friend of Children Award from the New York Association of School Psychologists at NYASP’s annual conference in November.

—The Sophie Fund hosted the 10th Annual Ithaca Cupcake Baking Contest, alongside our mental health fair, in the Ithaca Commons in October. We celebrated a decade of Ithaca cupcakes with a photo exhibition depicting highlights of the contest through the years.

For more information on The Sophie Fund’s work, please visit:

http://www.thesophiefund.org

Thank You!

Better Together? Definitely!

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The 4th annual Better Together for Mental Health event celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month took place on May 9 at Ithaca’s Stewart Park. It featured free food and massages; face painting, book giveaways, and carousel rides for kids; and dozens of information tables staffed by local mental health and wellness organizations.

“Programs provided resources on available services and programs in our community, along with family friendly activities to support mental health,” said Shannon Alvord, one of the organizers. “We are grateful to the people representing these wonderful agencies, who braved the weather to meet with the community and share about these essential resources.”

Kayla Eells of Health & Unity for Greg (HUG) gave out free copies of a children’s book on behalf of the Family Reading Partnership with sponsorship from The Sophie Fund.

“Between You and Me was an incredible book to hand out because its beautiful illustrations encompass what Better Together aims to achieve, promoting inclusion, awareness, and kindness in the mental health field,” said Eells.

This year’s sponsors included: Community Foundation of Tompkins County; Cayuga Health; Guthrie; THERM; True Insurance; Dryden Mutual Insurance Co.; Friends of Greg; Health & Unity for Greg; The Sophie Fund; Tompkins Community Bank; Visions Federal Credit Union; Beginnings Credit Union; Sciarabba, Walker and Co. LLC; and Lokey Studios.

Here’s a slideshow from Better Together 2026! (Photo credits: Tompkins County Whole Health; Racker; American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Greater Central New York)

They Walk for Mental Health

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Nearly 200 mental health champions participated in the annual fundraising walk for the Finger Lakes affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at Ithaca’s Stewart Park on May 3, surpassing the organization’s $50,000 goal for NAMI’s support and education programs.

NAMI Finger Lakes Executive Director Sandra Sorensen and friend lead the way

Thirty-eight teams and countless individuals participated in the local NAMIWalks event this year, led by Bouyant Punk which collected $6,213, Together We Walk with another $4,619, and Team Archer with $3,338. Other teams hitting the $2,000 mark included PhenomiNAMInal with $2,495, Ithacares $2,461, and Deb’s Team $2,200.

David Archer was the No. 1 individual fundraiser, with $3,288. Other top individual fundraisers included: Sandra Sorensen (NAMI Finger Lakes executive director), Jae Sullivan, Meggin Rose, Bon Chiang, Jason Hungerford, Joni Spielholz, Howard Reid, Helen Ann Yunis, and Mollie Kristof.

Click here to DONATE

NAMIWalks fundraising continues online

The event’s keynote speaker was Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo, who thanked NAMI for helping fight the social stigma around mental health.

“Those of you who know me who have heard me speak at events like this before know that I’m very open about my own mental health challenges,” Cantelmo said. “I live with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. One of the most important things we can do, in addition to raising awareness, is trying to work a little harder to destigmatize mental health challenges.”

“There’s an enormous number of folks who live with them. It’s not always easy to get out of bed in the morning, but we have to make that choice every day. We have to support our loved ones and they have to do the same. I’m just so grateful. Your city is behind you, really supportive of you being out here today, doing everything you’re doing.”

Another speaker was Serena Exantus, coordinator of NAMI’s Sharing Hope program, which is designed to bring mental wellness, conversation, and an open space for the Black community.

“The reason why I got involved in this initiative is because while I was very passionate about mental health, there was a gap in the community. As people who are navigating mental wellness, we need people who look like us and understand us and where we can relate to them. And that’s what’s so great about NAMI, that they create programs that meet people where they are.”

The event involved a 1-mile walk, a 5K “fun run,” games in the Kids Zone, massages by Attuned Life, snacks, and music by DJ Anthony. NAMI and other local mental health organizations staffed information tables sharing mental health resources available in the local community.

This year’s walk included a raffle of locally donated items: massages, gift certificates for local restaurants, wine, gift baskets, Science Center tickets, Strong Museum passes, New York Mets tickets, and sporting paraphernalia from local teams. 

NAMI Finger Lakes offers an array of peer-led programs that provide free education, skills training, and support for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals living with mental illness.

It operates a HelpLine where experienced volunteers answer calls for support and mental health resources. The number is (607) 252-6264.

According to NAMI Finger Lakes Program Manager Jason Hungerford, donations have enabled the organization to expand its programming and make a major impact over the past year. For example, NAMI has offered additional Family-to-Family mental health education classes, the Sharing Hope conversation series, and training for 60 additional first responders in NAMI’s Overwatch Peer Support.

Hungerford said that the chapter aided some 290 individuals through three unique support groups that meet twice a month. The organization has also reached more than 1,300 students and community members through mental health education and awareness presentations like Ending the Silence.

Sponsors of the 2026 NAMIWalks included Segal & Sorensen, Cayuga Health, Tompkins Community Bank, Wegmans, Cornell University, Guthrie, Cayuga Landscape, Excellus, del Lago Resort & Casino, Beginnings Credit Union, Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival, Howard Hanna, and Copper House Coffee.

NAMI Finger Lakes is one of some 600 local affiliates of the national organization, a grassroots mental health organization founded in 1979 dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI says its mission is to educate, support, advocate, listen and lead to improve the lives of people with mental illness and their loved ones.