(PS5-32) STAIR-Well: Expanding Trauma Therapy Access for College Students–Setting and Population Specific Design

Implementation science relies on deeply embedded, large-scale work that understands the context of mental health services to bridge the gap between research and practice. University counseling centers (UCCs) are a setting where there is great potential for growth in implementation of evidence-based interventions and there is a demand for effective treatments for students with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies indicate that the prevalence of PTSD rose from 3.4% in 2017-2018 to 7.5% in 2021-2022. Additionally, rates of PTSD are higher among marginalized students, like Black and Latino people, women, gender, and sexual minorities, and those experiencing poverty. For many college students, entering college may present their first access to or contact with mental health services, and an increasing number of students are seeking mental health treatment from UCCs, which are poised to deliver short-term trauma therapy, including and especially for marginalized students at high risk. Many UCCs address trauma-related symptoms primarily through non-specific supportive treatments or by referring students to community providers. However, evidence indicates that student engagement with external referrals is limited, with only 35-58% of students successfully initiating treatment, suggesting that treatment delivered on campus may have a greater impact. 

STAIR-Well, an ongoing, 3-year Quality Improvement (QI) project, recruited over 40 UCCs of varying sizes and types across the U.S. to implement Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR). STAIR is a transdiagnostic, evidence-based treatment for trauma-related difficulties and was chosen for implementation by campus stakeholders during a two-year pre-implementation engagement project. For the current QI work, UCCs completed three waves of virtual training workshops (one still pending in June 2025). Thus far, 271 clinicians have been trained in STAIR across 41 UCCs with 119 continuing with engagement in biweekly consultation. To date, 28 schools and 71 therapists have started to offer STAIR to their students. 

This poster will describe the UCC structural context with its unique challenges and assets. UCCs have a large heterogeneity in care structure, session limits, disruptions of care due to academic schedules, and extremely high utilization with limited resources. They also have integrated systems across multiple departments to holistically refer and support students. The poster will describe the way that STAIR-Well is partnering with UCCs to address challenges and leverage assets to increase access to effective trauma treatment for college students.