CCA, Big Ten and PAC-12 announce Alliance for Mental Health initiative


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Men’s basketball | 11/29/2021 20:31:00

GREENSBORO, NC & ROSEMONT, IL & SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 today announced a joint initiative called “Teammates for Mental Health,” which is designed to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and well-being among their more than 27,000. student athletes.

This initiative builds on the work that the three conferences continue to dedicate to mental health, including the creation of dedicated working groups and cabinets of mental health professionals on the campuses of 41 world-class institutions that include ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12.

The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 are reuniting once again to formally brief their teammates for mental health starting with the 2021 Big Ten / ACC Women’s and Men’s Basketball Challenge, a series of 28 contests from Nov. 29 to December 2, with Alliance basketball games during the regular season in the three conferences. These Alliance clashes – and others throughout the 2021-2022 ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 varsity athletic seasons – will highlight the importance of mental health and well-being.

The Alliance’s Teammates for Mental Health initiative includes a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring the women’s and men’s basketball head coaches and commissioners from all three conferences. The 30-second PSA will air on ESPN, ACC Network, Big Ten Network and Pac-12 Network, as well as on conference-owned digital and social media channels.

Additionally, beginning with the 2021 Big Ten / ACC Women’s and Men’s Basketball Challenge, Alliance games will feature public announcements from teammates for mental health, digital signage, coach pins, and promotions that help. to meet the mental health and wellness needs of fans.

“As individual conferences and collectively as an Alliance, we have a deep responsibility to our student-athletes, especially in the area of ​​their health and safety,” said CCA Commissioner Jim Phillips , Ph.D. “Over 27,000 student-athletes participate in the Alliance’s three conferences, and we are proud to partner in the creation of ‘Teammates for Mental Health’ to raise awareness and eliminate any health-related stigma. mental. “

“One in five adults in our country lives with a mental illness each year,” said Kevin Warren, Big Ten conference commissioner. “Now more than ever, our student-athletes face their own unique circumstances that could potentially impact their mental health as they strive to balance academic commitments, practices and games, in the service of communities and building their brands. This initiative is designed to remind all of us, especially our student-athletes, to put our mental health first and seek professional help in the event of need.”

“Supporting student-athletes is the core mission of the Alliance, and ‘Teammates for Mental Health’ is an important step in our collective effort to meet the most important health and wellness needs of our student-athletes. be, “said Pac-12. Commissioner George Kliavkoff.” The Alliance’s 41 world-class universities have incredible knowledge, research capabilities and resources that together can help solve critical problems such as Mental Health. “

CCA formed a Mental Health Task Force in 2018 to provide recommendations on mental health support and education in each of its 15 member institutions. The following year, the league hosted its first ACC summit on mental health and wellness, which focused on best practices for integrative care and strategies for breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Guest speakers included Kym and Mark Hilinski of Hilinski’s Hope and former WNBA No.1 Draft Pick Chamique Holdsclaw. In 2020, the conference distributed a series of videos and educational materials throughout Mental Health Awareness Month (May) and hosted two QPR (question, persuade, refer) virtual workshops on suicide prevention. In 2021, the conference hosted a virtual summit that discussed the effects and takeaways of a pandemic and a year of social unrest. In addition to the ongoing development of educational materials and virtual events, mental health professionals within CCA host a monthly conference call where they share best practices in education and treatment methods. . The ACC also provides the Calm meditation app to all student-athletes, coaches and staff for additional support.

The Big Ten Conference formed the Big Ten Mental Health and Wellness Cabinet in 2019 to promote optimal mental health for student-athletes. The firm is made up of 31 people representing a wide range of disciplines, including mental health educators, physicians, sports faculty representatives and senior women administrators. These industry leaders take a holistic, systems and interdisciplinary approach to establishing mental health programs, while providing advice, guidance and expertise to the conference office. The conference also provides the Calm meditation app to all student athletes, coaches and staff for additional support.

Created in 2013, the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative is a collective effort between Pac-12 and its member universities to support the health and well-being of student-athletes, including by finding ways to reduce injuries, share best practices and the latest research, and conduct research to discover new ways to keep student-athletes safe. Mental health support has been a critical part of this effort through the Mental Health Working Group and Pac-12 Coordination Unit, mental health conferences and educational sessions, and resources. dedicated to mental health on campus. In 2020, the Pac-12 hosted its first-ever student-athlete mental health summit on the UCLA campus, and each year, more than $ 1 million in funding for health and wellness. student-athletes are allocated to support mental health services in the Pac-12. campus.

About the ACC-Big Ten-Pac 12 alliance
In August 2021, the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences formed a historic alliance that brought together 41 world-class institutions around a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of varsity athletics and programming. The alliance – which has been unanimously supported by the presidents, chancellors and athletic directors of the 41 institutions – is guided in all cases by a commitment and priority to supporting the well-being of student-athletes, academic opportunities and sports, experiences, and a diverse educational program. All three conferences are based on their support for large-scale athletic programs, the college model, and opportunities for student-athletes as part of the institutions’ educational missions. The three conferences remain competitors in every way, but are committed to collaborating and providing thought leadership on various opportunities and challenges facing varsity athletics, including: mental and physical health, safety, well-being. being and supporting student-athletes; strong academic background and support; diversity, equity and inclusion; social justice; gender equality; future structure of the NCAA; federal legislative efforts; post-season championships and future formats; and programming for football, men’s and women’s basketball, and Olympic sports. The Alliance includes:

  • Leading academic institutions committed to shared values ​​of supporting the next generation of leaders.
  • Innovative research that benefits communities around the world.
  • 27 of the 34 Autonomy 5 members of the Association of American Universities (AAU).
  • 34 institutions ranked in the Top 100 national universities by American News and World Report.
  • Extensive sports and academic programs.
  • A long legacy of leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion.
  • Over 27,000 student-athletes compete in 863 teams in 31 sports.
  • A total of 1,019 NCAA Championships.
  • Long-standing relationships through bowl partnerships, men’s and women’s basketball challenges and Olympic sporting events.
  • 194 Olympic medals won in Tokyo by current, former and future student-athletes.
  • Some of the most iconic and historic venues in college sport.
  • Hundreds of millions of dollars in annual direct institutional support for student-athlete scholarships.
  • Over $ 15 billion in annual federal support for research, nearly a third of the total at all colleges and universities.

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