Get to Know Claire Maxwell, Partner Success Lead for TAO by UpLift

What is your background when it comes to mental health and higher education? 

Before UpLift, I worked directly in higher education and student wellness for several years. My specific focus was in health promotion, where I oversaw programs and prevention education related to mental and behavioral health on our campus. Much of my focus was connected to suicide prevention, alcohol and other substance use, stress management, and general mental health education and awareness.

My goal was to connect with students early on so that they would have the information and awareness of wellness resources before finding themselves in distress and needing immediate care. 

In my role, I had the opportunity to work alongside other wellness offices, like our counseling center, student health center and campus recreation department, to provide an integrated care model to students. Student well-being was built into the university’s strategic plan and was a primary focus across Student Affairs which allowed me to build strong partnerships and wellness advocates across campus.   

While I have a Master’s in Leadership Studies, I am grateful for my mentors and colleagues with mental health and public health degrees who have provided me with valuable insight on supporting student well-being and mental health. 

Before my career in higher education, I also spent a few years working in the field of nonprofits and social services. I worked closely with community organizations who provide support services and health care to individuals experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges. I gained perspective on the interconnectedness of chronic mental health challenges and barriers to long-term care, and how valuable collaborative care models can be for supporting community well-being. 

Why are you passionate about supporting students in higher education? 

Before joining UpLift, I worked in higher education for close to 10 years. My most recent role was as the Associate Director for Health Promotion which was based out of the Student Wellness division of Student Affairs. My experience working in higher education and student wellness let me witness firsthand how connected a student’s health and well-being are to every part of their life, including: their overall ability to achieve academic success, their interpersonal growth, and their sense of belonging on campus. 

In my experience, higher education professionals are increasingly thinking about student success and well-being from a more holistic lens. Health promoting campuses often view a student’s academic well-being as being highly interconnected to the other dimensions of their well-being, including: relational, spiritual, financial, physical, and emotional well-being, to name a few.

As we know, our students are learning to navigate new demands while also trying to succeed in college and care for themselves. Some common challenges we see students facing include growing rates of loneliness, financial stress and the pressure to juggle part-time jobs, or caring for loved ones outside of their role as a student.

With all that in mind, I believe every student deserves access to quality mental health care to support their overall well-being. Yet students continue to face barriers when it comes to seeking support. 

What are some of the barriers students face to mental health care?

For some students, they may not have had access to mental health care prior to starting college. Some barriers to care may stem from a family’s lack of insurance or their community not being located near accessible and affordable care. Another barrier is that mental health care may not have been normalized for them growing up, due to their culture, religion, or lack of education on what common mental health concerns can look like. For students who have experienced barriers to care, they may start college with some level of hesitation or uncertainty around accessing mental health care and what that actually looks like.

Students also want to know that whomever they meet with understands their unique experience, background, and challenges. Factors like identity can act as a barrier when students are looking for a provider who shares their language, race, ethnicity, or other characteristics that they may not see represented in their counseling center on campus. Virtual platforms like UpLift can be valuable in helping connect students to a more diverse range of providers. 

The short-term model and limited sessions that most college counseling centers can provide may also be a barrier for some students who need more consistent and ongoing care. Timing-wise, it can be challenging for students who commute, work part-time, or serve in a care-giving role, to find time for scheduled counseling appointments if their only options are to meet on campus during regular business hours Monday-Friday. Offering virtual telehealth resources can be a valuable way to reach students with unique schedules and ensure all students have access to care through different pathways. 

How do you work with higher education institutions to implement plans that support student mental health?

I envision myself building a relationship with our campus partners to understand their unique clinical needs, any gaps in their campus services, and how we can complement or add onto what they already offer. 

UpLift fits well into different care models. For example, if a school is using a stepped care model, TAO by UpLift’s self-care content can reach students earlier on and support them before they find themselves in need of therapy. I like to think of this self-help content as valuable information for students to add to their personal “tool-kit” to support their well-being. Beyond this self-help content, our UpLift clinical services can support schools and students when counseling centers are at capacity or students may need to be transitioned to a provider who can support them beyond the end of the semester/school year.

Because we utilize health insurance plans, we can offer more cost-effective solutions for both schools and students seeking therapy and or psychiatric services. We recognize the challenges that colleges face in regards to budget and capacity, and we’re happy to help advocate for how to bring these clinical services to their campus. 

We don’t want to confuse students or lead them to think that we’re replacing the counseling center. We’re intentional about how we plan with each school to message about the kind of support UpLift provides and how students can get connected to care through UpLift. 

With my background in higher education and health promotion, I try to be intentional about how messaging is shared regarding our services and how this can be integrated into a school’s existing campus culture and workflows. 

When should people reach out to their partner success manager?

Anytime is a good time! I’m excited to meet people, put faces to names, and build relationships with each of the campuses I will be supporting.

I’m here for our partners whenever a need arises. One example for when you may want to connect with me would be if there are any major changes in your staffing. I can provide training to ensure staff who are utilizing our services feel confident in navigating the platforms and referring students to the TAO and UpLift resources. 

Ideally, I’d like to have a meeting with each partner 1-2 times a year as a checkpoint on our key goals and priorities. We can discuss utilization rates, strategies to increase student engagement, and what resources I can provide to support them. Summer and winter breaks may also be a good time to connect, as they think about new student orientation and how to integrate our mental health services into the onboarding process and academic experience on their campus. I’m looking forward to working with you and your campus communities! 

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