CBM Lunch and Learn: The Canary of the Mind: What Federal Policy Shifts Reveal About Campus Mental Health

Campus mental health trends are often framed as individual or generational issues. Increases in distress, however, frequently signal broader structural pressures within higher education.

This presentation explores how shifts in federal policy, including changes in funding priorities, student loan structures, public health infrastructure and regulatory approaches, shape campus climate and mental health patterns. Using a systems-based framework, the session highlights how financial strain, institutional pressure, belonging and access to care connect larger policy environments to student and faculty well-being.

This session maintains a nonpartisan lens and reframes campus distress as an early indicator of systemic stress. Participants will leave with a practical framework for interpreting mental health trends and guiding institutional response.

Join us via Zoom.

Evon Inyang ’16, is a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and founder of ForwardUs Counseling, a Minnesota-based practice supporting couples and families through major life transitions. Her clinical work focuses on communication, relational stress and the impact of environmental and systemic pressures on mental and emotional well-being.

An alumna of Metropolitan State University, Evon brings a systems-informed perspective to her work and has collaborated with universities, healthcare providers and community organizations on topics related to psychological safety, resilience and the relational effects of stress. Her approach integrates current research with practical tools and real-world insight to help individuals and institutions strengthen connection and support mental health under changing conditions.

To request accommodations for a disability, contact Accessibility Resources at accessibility.resources@metrostate.edu or 651.793.1549.