OPINION: The Case for United Mental Health Care: An Analysis of Ireland's HSE Framework
By: Kaylie Lawlor
Ireland’s collegiate mental health system, specifically the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework, is a strong example of how a coordinated, holistic campus approach to mental health can be more effective than a fragmented, university-by-university system, which is currently used in the United States. Unlike the U.S., where institutions are largely left to design their own mental health strategies, Ireland provides a unified national framework that ensures all students, regardless of institution size or resources, have access to consistent and comprehensive mental health support. This framework was developed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which plays a central role in funding institutions, allocating resources, and developing national initiatives, including the National Student Mental Health Framework. This framework is one of the HEA’s most innovative projects, as it offers a clear roadmap for universities to follow for strengthening mental health resources on campus. Rather than leaving institutions to interpret student wellbeing independently, this framework provides shared guidance grounded in both Irish and international mental health research.The framework is built around nine overarching themes that guide how institutions should approach student mental health. One of the most significant themes is collaboration, which emphasizes that student mental health cannot be the responsibility of counseling services alone. The framework encourages universities to establish campus mental health task forces to help allocate resources and coordinate services. The framework argues that the task forces should be multidisciplinary, including counseling services, but also career services, administration, student organizations, residential life staff, and community health providers. This structure reflects a whole-campus approach.
The framework also highlights how collaboration across organizations can directly support student wellbeing and suicide prevention. A key example is the collaboration of the HSE and its National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP). Through NOSP, suicide prevention training is provided not only to counseling professionals, but also to faculty, staff, and students. As a result, suicide prevention becomes embedded throughout campus life rather than isolated within counseling centers. This model recognizes that students often turn first to peers, professors, or residence staff when they are struggling, making campus-wide awareness and training critical. This holistic approach is especially important given the reality that not every institution has extensive or well-funded counseling services. Large universities, in particular, often face overwhelming demand, with counselors managing hundreds of cases, and students are met with long waitlists. By distributing responsibility across the campus and emphasizing prevention, early intervention, and shared care, Ireland’s framework reduces pressure on counseling services while still supporting students with varying levels of need.
In contrast, the U.S. collegiate mental health system operates very differently. The United States lacks a single federal framework for student mental health. Instead, a range of organizations and initiatives offer aspirational goals or optional guidelines, leaving institutions to develop their own solutions. While this flexibility may seem beneficial, it often results in inconsistent definitions of wellbeing, uneven suicide prevention training, and unregulated resource allocation. According to the American Psychological Association, during the 2020–2021 academic year, over 60% of U.S. college students met criteria for at least one mental health condition, and counseling services at universities reported being overworked and unable to meet every student’s needs.
These statistics highlight a system under strain and demonstrate the need for a more unified national response. The United States could benefit greatly from adopting a coordinated, standardized framework similar to Ireland’s. A national model could establish minimum requirements for campus mental health resources, oversee implementation, and ensure accountability. For example, every institution could be required to maintain a student-led suicide prevention or mental health advocacy body, ensuring student voices remain central to policy and practice. Ultimately, every college student deserves equitable access to mental health care, regardless of institutional size or wealth. A more collaborative and united approach could significantly improve student wellbeing and help reverse the alarming trends currently seen across U.S. campuses.
Kaylie Lawlor is a senior at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, with plans to pursue a career in the field of mental health.
Sources:
American Psychological Association. (2022, October). Mental health care on campus. APA Monitor. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/10/mental-health-campus-care
HEA National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework Review Report. (2025, September 8). AMLE Mental Health. https://mentalhealth.amle.ie/2025/09/08/hea-national-student-mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-framework-review-report
Higher Education Authority. (n.d.). Higher Education Authority.
Higher Education Authority. (2022). Healthy Campus Charter and Framework. https://hea.ie/policy/health-and-wellbeing-landing-page/healthy-campus-landing-page/healthy-campus-charter-and-framework/
University College Dublin & SECCA. (2021). Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (SMHSP). University College Dublin. https://www.ucd.ie/secca/smhsp/