Peer support: Current status and future opportunities for college mental health promotion

Objective: This study of collegiate peer mental health support programs aims to inform future program development. Participants: We conducted a systematic internet search of 776 institutional affiliates of the American College Health Association to identify programs providing peer-based mental health support for undergraduates. Methods: We identified 171 programs across 126 institutions that provide peer-based mental health support, many of which offered services beyond counseling center hours. Results: Survey responses from program leadership (n = 40) indicated that programs required an average of 24.63 h (SD = 16.89) of training, and hours of training were positively associated with hours of support usage (r(14) =.55, p =.03). Conclusions: The past decade has seen a 60% increase in the number of programs providing peer mental health support. The availability, nature, and training requirements of programs varied widely, with implications for quality of support and stress on trainees. Greater collaboration may improve the impact of these programs.